Fallout: Road to Vegas
by Jacob Sailer
Summary: War has come to the Mojave. Battle lines have been drawn and in the coming months blood will be spilled over the Desert Sands. Yet, within this coming war, a man has been endowed with a destiny and the power to fulfill it. This story is of his actions, and the rise of a new nation. For War... war never changes. (Special thanks to Mando. the Free. and The95will for story ideas)
1. Prologue

Fallout

Road to Vegas

* * *

Prologue

* * *

War. War never changes.

Over two hundred years ago, the last great war would be waged. It's casualty was the world.

For generations, nuclear fire and radiation blanketed the land is an age of darkness. Soon after however, life emerged to reclaim the earth.

Some from caves and caverns, towns not hit by missile or bomb. Others from underground shelters named Vaults; scattered throughout what was the United States by the government of old.

With life came new civilizations; some formed from migrating tribes, others by established communities.

In the west, rose the New California Republic. Dedicated to older ideals of Democracy and the rule of law, the Republic expanded its borders far and wide. Yet as the Republic grew, so did her needs.

Scouts were sent into the unknown, where they came upon a gleaming city in the desert. Soon after: a great wall spanning the length of the Colorado River. These were the remains of Vegas and Hoover Dam, left mysteriously unscathed by Chinese warheads centuries ago.

Yet as the Republic moved to claim these lands, they were soon countered by a rival nation: Caesars Legion. Formed from the conquest of 87 tribes far to the east, they too sought the prize that lay before them.

Four years ago, a great battle was fought for possession of the dam. The Republic rose victorious, but only barely. The Legion did not retreat; instead now lie in wait on the Eastern Shores of the Colorado, eager for revenge.

Through it all, the New Vegas Strip remains open for business. Under the rule of its mysterious leader, Mr. House, they too prepare for the coming storm.

You are a courier. Employed by the Mojave Express based out Primm, you were to deliver a mysterious package to the Strip. Yet, fates have turned for the worst.

* * *

My head felt like someone had stuck pliers in my brain and had shook it in its enclosed confounds. My ribs were aching, as were my arms and legs and my wrists felt like they were being scraped by ropes or something. Overall, I felt like crap.

 _"You got what you were after, so pay up,"_ said a rough, hardened voice close by.

" _You're crying in the rain, pally,"_ said another, but this voice was cultured, a city voice. I opened my eye and saw three men; two I could see were wearing the uniform or atleast what looked like that of the Great Khans. But the third man was wearing a checkered suit and was, as I suspected, a city boy. He wasn't tanned and had an overdone gelled black hair that had mats of sand in several places. But it was his eyes that were the most peculiar; holding me in a sort of snake trance, which sent shivers down my spine. I then tried wiggling my hands free of my bonds. No luck.

 _"Guess who's waking up over here!"_ said one of the Khans. The city boy looked at me and pulled out a cigarette, which he lighted, took a whiff of, and then smashed it under his dress shoes. My gut told me exactly what was going to happen next and it made me feel cold.

 _"Time to cash out."_

 _"Would you just get it over with?"_ a Khan asked, annoyed by the delay in my execution.

 _"Maybe Khans kill people without looking them in face, but I ain't a fink, dig?"_ he spat back. He then turned his back to me, and pulled out from his pocket a poker chip, platinum in color and held it in my face. I remembered it was part of the package I was delivering. Well, armies are sent to die for worse reasons.

 _"Sorry you got twisted up in this scene."_ said the city boy, almost apologetically, as he put the chip back into his pocket. Then he drew something that made me catch my breath; it was an ornate engraved Browning Automatic Pistol, with the Virgin Mother beautifully painted on its grip written on its side. Funny, how when in death I noticed its rare craftsmanship. He continued:

 _"From where you're kneeling it must seem like an 18-carat run of bad luck. But, truth is...the game was rigged from the start."_

Then he pointed the pistol in my face. My eye was not on the instrument of death held before me, however, but on its deliverer's eyes. I stared deep into them, holding them in a stare that visibly unnerved him. I then spoke, my voice deep like the bass of a thunderstorm:

 _"Don't miss. If you do, I'll come for you."_

He was taken aback by my declaration. His pistol hand wavered. Then there was a flash. I hit the ground, but I felt no pain. I didn't even feel my head hit the loose Mojave soil.

For a brief second, I looked up. Up at my killer who looked a thousand miles away. Then was another flash, and my mind went blank. Soon after… there was only darkness.


	2. Chapter I: A kick in the Head

**Book 1 - Beyond the Grave**

* * *

 **Chapter I:**

 **A kick in the Head**

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

Am I dead? My brain was starting to regain some of its functions, but I was feeling the worst ax splitting head ache I had ever experienced. I knew I had been shot, but here I was still breathing and still thinking. My body felt cold and gritty, and then I realized why; I had been stripped down to my underpants and was lying on an operating table. I opened my eyes and tried to sit up, but my body betrayed me and I fell back down. My entire body felt dizzy, and I was shivering badly.

 _"Whoa there! You've been out cold for a couple of days now. Why don't you relax a second? Get your bearings. Let's see what the damage is,"_ said an older, gentle voice over to my right. I looked over and my suspicions were confirmed. He was old, balding with pure white hair and a thin straight mustache across his lips. He had the look of an experienced traveler, and his eyes reflected a great, but hidden sadness. But they were kind eyes, who looked upon me with a mixture of compassion, and strangely relief.

 _"Glad to see that you're finally awake. I'm Doc Mitchell. Welcome to Goodsprings."_

He then paused a moment, looking me over and then he asked me my name.

 _"My name… my name is…"_ I mused, my voiced utterly cracked. I searched the confound of my mind, desperate for an answer. Slowly, I repeated my words over and over again; a panic growing steadily within my voice as I realized I didn't remember my name.

 _"I don't know,"_ I finally replied, heavy in depression.

 _"It's alright, son,"_ he comforted my hand, _"It'll come back to you eventually. Here have some of this."_

He then handed me a flask of water which I drank down in a heartbeat, my throat relishing the familiar feeling. It was warm, and had a slight taste of sand. I didn't care though; it best tasted water I ever had. He quickly stayed my hand, which was probably a good thing since I would've probably choked on it.

 _"Whoa, easy there son. You just survived being shot twice; I don't think you want to die from drowning!"_

 _"I got shot twice?"_ I asked, slightly surprised.

 _"Yeah two right next to each other."_

It was at this that I finally felt the bandages. They were wrapped around my head and down over my left eye. My hand felt them, trembling. Yet, the feeling of only one side of vision somehow did not feel surprising. How and why?

 _"I need to ask you something,"_ the Old Man's voice broke my sudden moment of confusion and despair, _"when I start fixin' you up, I found that…"_

 _"What?"_

His eyes drifted over the entire stretch of my body. I didn't know why, and it began to terrify me. Finally he asked.

 _"What happened to your left eye?"_

 _"Why do you…?"_

 _"The bullet didn't destroy it. Near as I can tell, something else already did that for you. Do you remember?"_

At first, I knew nothing. Then something seized my mind: memories of pain. A tidal wave poured over my senses, drowning me in its boiling waters as the current began to drag me down. I started to scream!

 _"Easy, easy! Come back to me kid! It's alright!"_

Then my mind's eye focused on something specific. It was a figure; big as a mountain that covered me in its shadow. I couldn't make him out though it, he was took dark and it seemed like he was in motion. Suddenly, the side of my head was seized by a giant hand, its thumb set against my eye. I was hoisted above the ground, I could feel my feet dangling.

Then the hand spoke:

 _"It shall be paid in blood… Gideon."_

Then the side of my head was lit aflame. The pain was too much; I gripped the sides of the bed in a frenzy. I tried to scream, but it was as though my voice had lost its power. I did however feel a needle jam into my arm. A soothing aurora soon came over my battered body, and mind. A minute later, I blacked out.

 _"Well, your motor functions and mindset are surprisingly well developed."_

I laughed at this.

 _"So I got doubled tapped and I'm still able speak like a human being?"_

 _"Yeah, you're probably the luckiest son of a gun who ever lived, and it seems your sense of humor hasn't been affected either,"_ the older man said with a chuckle _,_ then it softened, _"what did you see, kid?"_

 _"Gideon. I think my name is Gideon."_

 _"Gideon, eh?"_ he asked with a smile, _"An odd name, but this is good news. But what did you see?"_

 _"Pain,"_ I replied softly, almost as if I was in shock, _"nothing but pain… suffering… and death. The memory… it felt so real… it felt as though it was going to drown me."_

 _"Easy, don't go back just yet. Focus your mind. Clear it,"_ he ordered gently, placing his hand on my arm to ease me back to reality, _"now, let's see if we can get you back on your feet."_

At that, my body instinctively slid off the table, but I immediately slammed into the hard floor with a loud thump. The doctor reached down and started to pull me to my feet, but I brushed away his hand. I grabbed hold of the operating table, and wrenched myself up with all my might until I was standing on my own two feet. Minutes passed, and eventually I managed a painful hobble, with Doc close behind with his hand on my shoulder

 _"Take it slow now! It ain't a race!"_

I couldn't help but laugh. I sure as hell wasn't going to outrun anybody. For over an hour, we walked the length of the room, over and over until I could eventually walk with my own two feet. Albeit slowly. Then, Doc helped me into a chair in front of what I could only describe it as an old Arcade machine.

 _"This is a Vigor Tester Machine. It'll help see what your faculties are and such."_

He then removed a series of medical pads attached by radiotransparent wires, and placed them throughout my body.

 _"Now just close your eyes… eye… and just relax. Just let the machine do its thing."_

And so I did. I felt a sudden rush of electricity running through my veins. Minutes passed, and through my eyelid I could see a series of fast flashing lights moving continuously. Finally, the energy abated, and I opened my eye. It was all black, except for this smiling boy who stood at the center of screen and was giving me a thumbs up.

 _"Vault Boy,"_ I commented with a smile. Then a long slot of paper slowly printed out, its contents out of focus. Almost methodically, Doc removed the paper and silently began to read. But it did not hide the results. I could see the expressions hidden away on his face; the raising of the eyebrows and perking of the lips. All in all, he was amazed.

 _"You ever hear the acronym_ _SPECIAL?"_ he asked. I shook my head. He elaborated.

 _"Now, there is a lot of medical history I'll need to go over, but here is the most important. Your baseline is called SPECIAL or Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Luck."_

He then tore off that section of the paper and handed it to me, then departed the room. I looked over its contents, my eyes tracing the words carefully. Slowly, they became clear to me. Each characteristic had a printed number; my guess was out of ten. Underneath this was a sort explanation, a summery if you will. This in particular I observed with the keenest interest.

 _Strength marked 6: subject appears to be in fit physical condition. Casual manner however is noted. Subject also appears to have gained such skill through previous studies hard labor, calisthenics and/or government training._

I nodded, the familiarity of the answer seemed right to me.

 _Perception marked 4: subject should be noted to have 20/20 vision in right eye. However, left eye is missing._

 _"No shit."_

 _Endurance marked 7: subject's recorded pain tolerance is astounding. Physical conditioning also at a fit level. Please note; subject is reasoned to have had close combat and/or traumatic experiences._

 _"No doubt."_

 _Charisma marked 6: subject's leadership knowledge is rated experienced. The subject also appears to have a natural personality that is also regarded as attractive and favorable._

 _"You mean I have a sense of humor?"_

 _Intelligence marked 7: subjects IQ is rated 133. In addition, subject appears to have a photographic physical and mental memory. Error: brain trauma is however detected on the explicit memory lobe. Please advise._

The only things I truly cared for was the brain damage. I'm not a brain surgeon so I didn't know anything really. I did know three things: I was alive, I wasn't a vegetable but I didn't walk away unscathed. Great.

 _Agility marked 4; while subject is marked for exceptional physical ability, analyses conclude that both build and previous injuries have affected natural agility._

Previous injuries did make me wonder. What the hell had I gone through before?

 _Luck marked 6; subject survived a massive trauma to the forehead that has a 97% percent fatality statistic._

 _"So I survived being shot in the head?"_

I had to laugh. Then Doc returned almost right after.

 _"As your doctor, I'd rate you as the luckiest piece of oak I have ever met."_

 _"Well, it's either luck or some kind of divine providence."_

 _"Ha! Well it's either one or the other! Can't have both!"_

 _"Ah damn."_

Then unconsciously, I reached my hand over the bandage feeling wounds on the left side of my forehead.

 _"You know only one of those rounds actually went through."_ the doctor stated calmly.

 _"Where did it end up?"_ I asked, remembering what it had said about my injury.

 _"Well the second hit you right through the left eye socket but got sent sideways when it hit bone. The first one though… that one got lodged in your frontal lobe, but it only damaged the spot where you keep explicit memory…"_

 _"My what?"_

 _"It's your life's memory, your childhood and such. I managed to get in there and get the bullet out, but I'm afraid it may have taken something out with it. Can you remember anything back in your childhood?"_

I tried to think back, back some 24 years prior, to a time when I was a young lad of about 7 and I was… I was… Goddamn it.

 _"Come to think of it,"_ I sighed, sitting down on the surgery table with a groan of despair, _"I only remember bits and pieces of it all."_

 _"Gideon,"_ Doc Mitchell started, taking a seat in front of me, _"I know what it feels like to have something taken away from you. To have your life's meaning ripped from you, but you cannot let that stop you. You have to keep pushing ahead, and hold onto the thing that'll keep you from burning yourself up. Eventually, you'll regain what you lost."_

I turned to him, a sense of mission donning upon me: _"What saved you from losing your way?"_

 _"Love."_

He then sat up, stretching his arms out then reaching over to a music sheet stand. He then pulled out a folder and sat back down. I shot him the 'do we have to do this?' look. He then chuckled darkly.

" _Just need to see if your faculties are still up and running. And we need to go over your apparent medical history. Now let's begin…"_

* * *

I had been confined to the house for two days more. Largely to run more tests on me and to make sure I could go out on my own without having some kind of a heart attack. Here though, I was looking long and hard into the fractured mirror in front of me. The face that stared back at me was… well, not my own. Maybe it never had been.

I looked at the untidy mop of black hair that flop above and slightly over the bandages. I had a heavy set jaw and check bones, the lower half of my face needed a good shaving. But when I looked into the eye… my eye… I did not recognize it. Hidden in the hazel pupil, I saw a cold and emotionless expression. Within, the flood of agony began to rush against the barriers of my mind; yet the expression did not change.

I then reached up and touched the bandage covering my forehead. Then my eyes met again. It was then I understood.

 _"We're not going to make any more mistakes,"_ I said to my reflection, they eyes never once shifting, _"Not any more. We're going to get the bastard who took our life. Who robbed us of our identity."_

At last I tore my gaze from the mirror and began to don my older clothing which had been wrapped in a cloth wrap. I pulled out the dark brown jacket over my t-shirt, followed by the tan work pants. Then came the black steel toed combat boots. Then as I reached for the brown boonie hat, I felt something heavy in the cloth. I fully unwrapped it to see what was there.

The first was the shoulder holster. I felt the smooth brown fabrics, its feel familiar over my fingertips. Then I pulled the pistol out, and hefted in both of my hands. It was a 9mm Browning Hi-Power, which looked as though it had seen plenty of action before. It felt comfortable in either hand, its cold steel a familiar comfort as I checked the barrel, then locked and loaded it.

I placed it back in its holster and set it to the side. Then I looked at the pistol belt. It had multiple pouches. One contained a medical pouch; another for a canteen on the back. A larger, longer one held a twin of rope. The rest were for magazines. I had a total of six.

Two contained 13 rounds of 9mm's. The others though were for .45's. At the right side of the belt was a clip for an attached holster, of which was missing. Well then, where had it gone? I shrug it off, eventually searching the last bag and I finding a leather bag full of clinking bottlecaps.

Well at least I wasn't broke.

 _"Well now what do we have here?"_

It was a knife sheath. At this I stop and stared at it for a time. Then I drew it in a smooth, honed motion and stared at the blade. It was a venerable, but well honed eight inch combat knife with a sharp clip point. The hilt was well padded and made of worn leather, but was still in good condition. I felt its sharpness, its excellent balance. There was writing engraved upon it too: Latin. Si vis pacem, para bellum…

 _"If you want peace, prepare for war."_

I knew the quote all too well. Memories began to filter into my consciousness. An old man skinning a coyote, a little girl bleeding and screaming, a red flash of anger, a crimsoned blade… I looked at it one more time, seeing my reflection in the blade. I shook my head, and attached the scabbard onto my right boot.

After this I donned the hat and pulled on a pair of sand goggles. I then wrapped my gray shemagh scarf around my neck. It was still the Mojave after all. I moved into the hallway and found Doc Mitchell waiting for me.

 _"You also had this on you."_

He then handed me a leather notebook, with yellow sheets of paper sticking out from it. As I took it, almost by touch I knew what it was. As I opened it up, the first thing I found was a hastily stamped _MOJAVE EXPRESS COURIER._ Moving further, past the many dozens of pages which were jotted down with past delivery information, I came across what I was looking for. There I was, about two years younger, but there it was.

There was a grainy picture located in the upper right corner. I looked about the same, except I had two eyes then. One was hazel, but the other was gray pupil and blind. Then my gaze rolled down to the handwritten information. It was my handwriting. I then began to read it slowly and carefully:

 _GIDEON MADDOX, DOB: FEB. 28, 2246, POB: BILLINGS, MONTANA_

 _CURRENT OCCUPATION: MOJAVE EXPRESS PRIMM_

 _PREVIOUS OCCUPATION: INDEPENDENT_

 _COURIER RATING: EXPERIENCED_

 _DATE ADMITTED: OCT. 13_ _TH_ _, 2279_

 _"My name is Gabriel Maddox,"_ I said with relief, and began saying it over and over as in a trance. Then my eyes moved up to Doc, who stood across from me with his arms folded. I then fixed him with an interrogative stare:

 _"Did you know?"_

 _"Why wouldn't I have Gideon? It was the first thing I looked at when I stabilized you. But I needed to know if you could remember on your own."_

 _"I understand, Doc. Thank you for patching me up."_

 _"There's one other thing."_

He then pulled out a folded note and handed it to me. As I read it over, I realized what it was. It was my current Courier contract. As I read over it, the memory of my death appeared like a flash in my mind. I breathed in deeply, and slowly the searing pain went away. When it did, I knew where I had to go: Primm.

 _"Gideon,"_ Mitchell said interrupting my thoughts, _"When venturing out on revenge, dig two graves."_

 _"I'll only need one."_ I replied darkly.

Doc Mitchell nodded, understanding. He then reached into a cabinet and pulled out a battered metal gadget, one that I had no idea what it was supposed to do. Then that's when I saw the "Vault-Tec" painted on its side. Mitchell then grabbed my left arm and attached it onto my limb.

 _"It's a pipboy,"_ Doc Mitchell explained, _"I grew up in one of them vaults they made before the war. We all got one."_

I remembered that Vaults were pre-war underground shelters. There should be atleast 4 or 5 in this area.

 _"How's it worked?"_

 _"Here I'll show you…"_

* * *

A minute passed. As I was heading out, Doc called from behind me _;_ _"Hey Gideon, before you go, talk to Sunny Smiles. She might be able to re-teach a thing or two to you. Also, talk to Trudy, she always likes to see new faces. And lastly, keep a lookout for a metal feller named Victor; he's the one who dug you out."_

 _"Right, so look for Sunny Smiles, Trudy and a robot?"_

 _"Yeah, he's built like a giant pre-war television with wheels. Should be easy to spot."_

Right, now I've experienced everything. I then shook hands with the old man, who respectfully requested I wouldn't get shot again. That was something I just couldn't guarantee. But I answered his request with a smile, and nodded. He then turned and walked back into the confounds of his home, and as he walked out of sight I myself turned and walked to the door.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my old pair of shades and covered my eyes. I took a long breath and finally rested my hands on the doorknob. I slowly opened it letting the bright morning light seep on through the gab, chasing away the shadows of that dreary home. Even with my shades on the light was still intense, but I shook it off and moved on through the doorway… and took my first step into the Mojave Desert.


	3. Chapter II: A Campfire on the Trail

**Chapter II:**

 **A Campfire on the trail**

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I stepped out into the blazing desert, and began my decent from the Doctors House. It took a few seconds, but finally the burning light unveiled itself from my eyes and beheld to me the town of Goodsprings. I rolled my gaze over the great landscape around me, bobbing my eyes with the many perturbing rooftops of prewar homes, now owned by survivors some two hundred years after their construction. Suddenly, there was a crackle at my side and a song began to play. I lifted my arm and gazed at the Pip Boy on my wrist. I knew that song…

 _"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day! Hardly spoke to folks around him, didn't have too much to…"_

Suddenly my mind seized and great pain shot through me, images began playing in my consciousness like a record player.

 _"Just hand over the money old man!"_

 _"Never, fool! If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die with some dignity!"_

 _"Hope you've said your prayers then grandpa, sense your gonna- -"_

Suddenly my hand throbbed from a punching recoil as I suddenly heard a loud crack, then another and another, each followed by a bright flash.

 _"The brats killed Rob-aggghh!"_

There was another flash, and a loud crash as something fell through a window, glass shattering under the impact. I could then smell the trailing mist of gun powder, and I felt a strange calm, like everything had just stopped breathing, stopped moving.

 _"My God Son… you killed them. Are you alright?"_

 _"...for the stranger there among had a Big Iron on his hip! Big Iron on his hip…!"_

Then more images began playing in my mind, but these where faster, blurred together. They were incomprehensible, and I closed my eyes, with the images slowly disappearing like mist. I was shaking uncontrollably, and I even felt chilled to my bones. I made a final effort to stand, my legs wobbling under my weight, but I stood anyway. I then looked ahead, and saw something blaring in a colorful light.

I focused my eyes at the thing, until it cleared to words.

 _"Prospectors Saloon..."_ I mouthed. Slowly I began moving towards the saloon or whatever it was. I could now see people walking about, some of them casted odd looks at me, but nothing more. I just had to sit down, clear my head… Damn, my headaches back, I need something to drink. Then finally, my ears return to their normality and I could hear the Pip Boy on my wrist playing another song… _"Johnny Guitar"._

I groaned at the tilly and rather annoying sound of a woman singing, I had always hated that song. I reached down and switched the damn radio off, and kept on walking. Finally I was at the _"Prospectors Saloon"_ which was a rather run down old adobe building, with its name blaring out at me from a neon sign. I brushed on through the flopping doors and entered its rather cooled and dark atmosphere. There was a bar ahead, and I began moving towards it, removing my hat and shades. Suddenly there was a loud growl to my left, and my hand moved to my side, retrieving the long blade.

I faced the source of the growl, a big burly dark dog, holding the knife in front.

 _"Cheyenne stay!"_ roared a commanding voice, and the dog ceased its activity. I turned my head to the speaker and found myself staring at a woman shorter than I. She was well tanned, and well built, with fiery red hair cropped together in a messy ponytail. Her eyes though, were cold, no more like calculating, similar to the look I wore too. That part granted her immediate respect from me, that and the rifle on her back.

While I was studying her, she was studying me. I watched her eyes move around me, finally moving from the stained bandages to the blade I held in my hand. I sheathed it, looking a little embarrassed for still having it out, especially in the presence of a lady. She grinned at me, her green eyes teasing me with their stare.

 _"You Sunny Smiles?"_ I asked, breaking the sudden stillness of noiselessness.

 _"You the dead man?"_ She replied, rather sarcastically.

 _"I guess I am, hunter."_ I replied, motioning my hand to something I hadn't previously seen; a green, reptilian skin attached to her belt. She giggled a little as she moved her hand over the skin. She then brought her hand out, and I took it, somewhat gently.

" _Yeah, I'm Sunny, and little barky mouth over here is Cheyenne."_ She pointed over to where the dog was sitting, who came over and moved its head into her hand. _"She won't bite unless I say."_

 _"Good to know, I guess. I'm Gideon, Gideon Maddox."_

 _"You look like you could use a drink,"_ She replied as she moved her hand over and pulled over a chair, _"Here. Take a seat."_

 _"Thanks."_ I replied, moving into the chair and removing my canteen from my belt. Damn, it was bone dry. I should have refilled back at the house.

 _"Here, take a swig."_ Sunny said as she handed me a flask, and even before I could touch liquid to lips I could tell it was brandy. I took a slow swig, filling my mouth until it burned, swallowing the cold liquid, which slowly made me feel a little better.

 _"Thank you,"_ I said, handing her back the flask. _"Doc told me I should go find you, maybe learn a thing or two."_

 _"I figured as much. Might I ask why you were shot?"_

 _"I think the real question is 'who the hell I am and why am I in your quiet town?'"_

She grinned at me and shot me the 'yeah something like that' look.

 _"I don't know who I am, Sunny. Not really anyway. I can't even remember my own damn childhood let alone why I was actually shot. Look, I think I'm a courier by trade, so I think Mr. Checkered Suit may have shot me because of something I carrying or maybe delivering."_

 _"Which was?"_

 _"A platinum poker chip. No idea why I just remember the job was going to be well paid, when it was delivered to Vegas."_

" _Hmm, and this whole time I thought you were some kind of spy. Afraid I was going to have to shoot you again."_

She laughed, but I could see in her eyes she was being serious.

 _"Well, I'm glad you didn't. I don't think that would've ended well, for both of us."_

 _"Did you say a checkered man shot you?"_

 _"Yeah, he had maybe four Khans with him."_

 _"Hmm, well a couple of nights ago I saw a couple of guys come through here with the same description. But you should talk to Trudy about that, they busted up her radio afterall."_

 _"I will, Sunny. You know where she'll be?"_

 _"Here in a couple of hours. That's when the bar actually opens."_

 _"Well, I didn't mean to B &E this place."_ I chuckled dryly. She did so likewise.

 _"Well on the orders of my good friend Doctor Mitchell, I guess you can be useful for a couple of hours."_ She sat up and began moving towards the back of the bar, _"Come on I need to see how good your aim is."_

I stood up, feeling new life in my limbs as I ran off after her. She then brushed through a back door and I followed, quickly putting on my shades as I went out the door. Before me stood a double column fence, with six Nuka Cola bottles on both logs, about 30 feet from where I was standing. _Shooting Practice,_ my mind told me. I reached into my belt and removed the Browning, keeping the weapon down towards the ground.

 _"Go ahead and take a shot when you're ready."_ Sunny ordered as she moved behind me. I brought up my weapon, took a slow deep breath, and fired at the first bottle. I then move forward and fired at the second bottle, moving up again in a fluid motion, firing at the third bottle. I stopped and looked at my handy work, only the shattered rimmed bases remained. I took a deep breath and safetied the pistol, placing it back in my holster.

 _"Nice shooting, Gide. Now how's your draw?"_

I then responded, drawing the pistol in a flash, unsafeting it in the process and executed the remaining three bottles.

 _"Nice work there, Gide,"_ complimented Sunny, as she walked over to me; _"Very nice. I'm little surprised that Pretty Boy was able to take you out with shootin' like that!"_

 _"Yeah…"_ I replied awkwardly. I could feel my hands shaking again, trembling almost to the point where I almost dropped my handgun. I quickly placed it back into my holster again, no sense letting it fall into the dirt. There was all something familiar about this, and it truly sent chills gone to my bones of the skill I effortlessly seemed to possess.

 _"What am I am? What was I?"_ I asked myself in a low murmur.

 _"Sorry?"_ Sunny asked.

 _"Ah, it was nothing. You said I could be useful for a couple of hours, right?"_ I responded slowly, turning to face her, _"What'd you need me to do?"_

 _"You know what a Gecko is, right?"_ Sunny asked who instinctually touched the skin on her belt, running her hand over it. My mind spun and a series of images began playing in sequence, like a slide show. _Gecko, this small creature is a malicious pack animal who bears sharp teeth and some can even breathe fire. They are best handled from a distance._

 _"Yes what about 'em?"_

 _"Walk with me and I'll explain."_

I obeyed, running up to her and matching her pace, step by step.

 _"These bastard critters have been plaguing Goodsprings for quite a while now, settin' up nests on its outskirts. Now they wouldn't be a problem, except fer the fact that the town's main water source is right next to Gecko central, and occasionally attack townsfolk who go out for water. When they do, we just go in and kill a few to scare them off."_

 _"Why not just go in and wipe 'em out?"_

 _"Tried. About twenty of us got as far as the caves where the nests are, that's when the Goldies showed up."_

 _"Goldies?"_

 _"They're bigger Geckos that have a gold coat. Those sonsovbitches can actually breathe fire, and our .223's only piss 'em off."_

 _"They chased you off?"_

 _"Yeah and killed two of the Rodriguez brothers—they're a large family who live in town."_

 _"It sounds like you need some upgrades in the—"_

 _"Don't you dare say 'firepower' or I swear I'll give you a fourth hole in your head!" She said in an annoyed yet humorous tone._

 _"Was going to say in the 'funeral department'"_

 _"You smug bastard!"_ Sunny replied chuckling to herself in a wide grin.

 _"I know. So let me guess; we need to go in and kill of a few of the buggers."_

 _"Yeah, that's basically it. Figure it'd be good practice to get you back on your feet."_

After about a twenty minute walk, we finally arrived at a series of rocky outcroppings with some pipes jutting out of the ground, which ran together in junctions while others look as though they had been torn apart. One of them was still jutting out water.

 _"Ah dammit!"_ Sunny cursed aloud as she ran over to the pipe, removing a wrench from one of her side pockets. She then tightened a valve behind the torn section of the piping, which seemed to stop the gushing water.

 _"Geckos do this?"_ I asked as I ran over.

 _"Yeah little monsters must be after the water. The little things are getting smart."_

 _"Hey look here."_ I said suddenly, pointing over to a series of tracks that lay fresh in the walked over and began to examine them, with Cheyenne burying her snout in the loose sand.

 _"We've got trouble."_ Sunny said, with a grim look on her face.

 _"What is it?"_

 _"There are three sets of tracks, one human and two Gecko. The problem is that all three are fresh and the human set is the oldest."_

I could feel the hairs on the back my neck stand up as I drew my handgun out of its holster and began peering about; _"Should we follow the trail?"_

" _Yeah, we can't just leave this idjit all out by herself, 'specially if Geckos are close by."_

 _"Her?"_ I asked quizzically, _"How can you tell it's a she?"_

 _"Look here."_ She replied, pointing at the human track. Taking a closer look at it, I understood;

 _"Shoe size, and weight of the print, correct?"_

 _"See? It looks like this trip is startin' to get that brain of yers running again."_ Sunny responded, standing up to her full height (which she was still a foot shorter than me) and tapped my sore forehead; _"I'm thinkin' that bullet might've made you bit more… ah what's the word… intuitive."_

I nodded, running my hand over my forehead, which was still hurting like a royal bitchslap. It was bearable though.

 _"Alright enough of this jazz,"_ I snorted, _"Shouldn't we go find this… uh…"_

 _"Idjit?"_ Sunny asked, with a creeping smile on her face, _"Alright Cheyenne, you know what to do."_

The dog bark in reply, running at a slow jog with her head held close to the ground…

* * *

 **Sunny**

* * *

' _We've been walking for at least ten minutes, and Cheyenne hasn't reached the end yet.'_ I told myself. I kept the varmint rifle close at hand, ready to rock in case the critters would be stupid enough to attack. I looked over to Gideon to see him doing likewise, retrieving his Browning and keeping it locked in his left hand. I felt a cold shiver in my bones every time I looked at him, although I didn't show it.

I don't know what it is about him, but there's just something… mysterious about him… and also about his connection with Victor. I mean that robot has never lifted an arm to help anybody, and yet barely last week he comes in with 5oo caps for Doc, Trudy and me, then drops off a body and tells us that he needs to be saved. I remember the expression that Doc had after Victor left, when he removed the tarp coverin' the body…

 _"I don't think the feller can be saved,"_ the good Doctor had said, _"But it looks as though I'll have to try."_

How does a man survive being shot twice in the head and then somehow gets up from that? I remember the look Gideon had when he had systematically executed those bottles on the fence, the ' _what the hell'_ look. Now, looking at him now… He wasn't actin' like a person who had just been shot should be actin'. No, he was movin' and holdin' that pistol like a predator. Like a man on the hunt.

 _"You okay, Sunny?"_ Gideon asked me suddenly, lookin' at me through those dark shades of his. Damn, he must've seen me gawkin' at him. Suddenly, Cheyenne stopped in her tracks and started barkin' like a madman at the hills ahead. I moved my hand over her brow, calmin' her a bit down.

 _"I think we've found the locals."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I checked the Browning one more time, loading it and ensuring there was a round in the chamber. I gave a light pull at the blade down on my boot, which gave way easily. I nodded my state of readiness to Sunny, who nodded back and signaled her hand up the hill; _up the hill, quickly and quietly._

 _Roger,_ I signaled back. I began moving in a measured pace, with an effort to remain as silent as possible. Eventually, I went down low, keeping my hand close to the floor with my gun hand free. I looked over to Sunny, seeing her do the same. Finally we came over the top of the hill and we went bellies to the floor.

Just below us, there was at least a dozen or so of the hideous looking lizards down below, all green coated. Good, no Goldies in sight. I looked over Sunny, who brought her hand into a fist and then pointed it in their direction. I brought my weapon up, brace myself on one knee, and took careful aim. Finally, with a lasting expression of air, I squeezed the trigger.

A spit second later, the copper coated nine millimeter round struck the collarbone of the ugly carnivorous creature in a red haze and dropped to the floor. That seemed to get their attention, because the little bastards started running up the hill. I began firing my handgun in quick recession, firing on overwatch at anything that came close enough. Over my own quickened haste of firing, I could hear the slower pops from Sunny's Varmint Rifle as she felled some of the incoming monsters.

 _"Reloading!"_ She suddenly shouted out. I nodded and continued firing. Suddenly I heard a load click, and I cursed aloud. As I reached for a fresh magazine, time seemed to stop as one of the uglies suddenly lunged at me from the corner of my eye. I knew it had sunk its teeth into my arm, but I didn't feel any pain, regardless I dropped my pistol into the sand.

Suddenly I felt myself being consumed by a hot flowing rage. I then plowed my fist into the Gecko and then held it, wriggling, by its throat. I wasn't here in this desert anymore; I was at my family home in Montana, holding a similar creature by its throat. The evil thing had just attacked my little sister, whose arm was bleeding from his sharp bite.

 _"Oohh, Gide it hurts so bad!"_ She wailed in pain.

 _"The pain will be gone, Cathie, I promise."_ Then my voice darkened into a growl, _"As for you, burn in hell you monster!"_

My grip tightened into a contracting vise, until I heard its spine break in a loud crunch, and the last of its life left its wretched body. I dropped the lifeless carcass, and slowly drew my combat knife. The whole world; Sunny, Cheyenne and the Geckos stopped moving, stopped breathing and just stared in horror at me. My gaze had completely crimsoned until I was only seeing red, red as blood.

 _"Time to die…"_


	4. Chapter III: Back in the Fight

**Chapter III:**

 **Back in the fight**

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

It was late that night, with the stars out in a gorgeous lens, so like the neon lights of New Vegas and yet so… different.

 _"Veronica!"_ A voice suddenly called from behind me, _"You still wanna play Caravan or not?"_

I sighed and raised my hood over my head. It was still too dark for anyone to actually see me, but I never liked taking chances. This was an NCR trading post, afterall.

 _"Yeah, I'm coming."_ I called back, and reached into my robe, pulling out the deck of playing cards. I turned to face the speaker and began walking over to him. He was a fairly skinny and tawny kid of about 10, calls himself the Forecaster. But don't let that fool you.

He's… special. I really don't believe in all the pre-war mumbo jumbo about psychics or mind readers, but I've played him close to twenty times, with him always winning and never taking any of the money I had pooled. Plus, he can sometimes see the 'future' or at least _something_ in the future (when he's not wearing that head band he keeps for his migraines). Whatever the case may be, he was good company. He's like the little brother I never had…

 _"You've been here for some two months, I think…"_ Forecaster began saying, scratching the top of his head for some answer he wanted.

 _"What's up?"_ I asked him, already having a feeling about what he was going to ask.

 _"Never once have I ever seen you go out with another boy, V,"_ Forecaster began, trying in vain to say his words with tactful meaning, _"And yer awful pretty, so why haven't you?"_

 _"Thanks for the complement, kid. You're pretty cute, too."_ I replied, with Forecaster blushing from ear to ear, _"It's just that… it's complicated."_

 _"You mean with Christine?"_

 _"Yeah, well I mean…"_ I sighed, with rather old and painful memories returning to bite me in all the sensitive areas. Relationships for me… well they're complicated. I mean I'm not restricted with my own sex, I've had plenty a good time and memory with the boys. It's just…

 _"I think I'm just waiting for the right person."_ I finally relented, which Forecaster nodded thoughtfully. Then suddenly his eyes began to pale, and he ripped his headband off of his head. He slumped to the floor, panting and weaving like a sick dog. My hand slammed into my robe and locked onto the pneumatic gauntlet attached to my thigh and I rushed to the kids' side, trying to straighten him up. Suddenly he spoke, but it wasn't the kid who spoke… it was the Forecaster:

 _"Anger. Rage. All but red, oh so crimson red. Mist in the air, on his hands, in his soul. A hole that just widens, with two holes, all sown but just keep on tearing. Bloodrage!"_

He then let out terrible wail, so I pulled him close, letting his tears soak into my robe.

 _"It's okay; you're going to be fine. No one is going to hurt you. Shhh, you're going to be okay."_

 _"Blood everywhere, V! Blood everywhere!"_ He whimpered.

 _"Who were you talking about, kid? Who?"_

 _"Gideon."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

My eyes opened, but I felt as though they had deceived me. They were open but I could only see pitch black darkness. Wait, what was I standing on? Why did my whole body feel… soaked? I moved my left limb, which responded in a sluggish way, but I was still able to bring it up to my face and activate the pip-boys light.

Suddenly I was bathed in a perpetual green fade, which shun all about me. Then that's when I looked down at me feet, and I saw…

 _"Oh dear God,"_ I gasped at the horrors at my feet, bring my right hand up instinctually. I felt something nik my cheek, and I gazed at my hand. Still clenched in it was the crimsoned smeared blade, with tendrils of oozing dark blood slipping over the hilt and all over my forearm. The blood had highlighted those itched war words; ' _Si vis pacem, para bellum'._ In that moment, my confusion turned from shock to realization as I looked about me at the amassed cavern, which had been… _'decorated'_ with the blood, limbs and bodies of endless Geckos. To further to prove my point, blood flowed down my forehead and over my eyes. I reached up and felt my head.

 _"Not my blood, not my blood,"_ Irepeated in a trance. Slowly I began moving or more likely wading through the bog of bodies around me. The pip-boy light continued to shine the carnage around me. Everywhere there were the carcasses and limbs of carcasses piled high about me, and many of them had a distinct gold coat to them…

 _"Did I truly do this?"_ I asked aloud, which echoed in that cold and dark underworld. Ultimately, I knew the answer to that question.

It took a few minutes, but I eventually located the entrance to the surface. Slowly I moved towards the dimming sunlight, sheaved my knife and reached my hands up the hole in the roof. Finally I pulled myself up and over onto the surface of the entrance. Suddenly something horrid came face to face with me, and I reached for my combat knife. Then I relaxed, the 'horrid' thing was dead.

He was a man, about mid twenties but well into his decaying process. It looked as though he had been dead for weeks. Then I looked over to his right, another body similar build as the former. They both had black hair and… were covered in burns and bight marks.

 _"Yeah and killed two of the Rodriguez brothers—they're a large family who live in town."_ Sunny's words rang through my head, suddenly I shivered badly. Where was Sunny and Cheyenne? The last I saw them was before I blacked out…

 _"I'll worry about that later."_

It pained me to say that, but I knew that if I was going to find Sunny I would have to be armed and alive first. I then realized that my 9mm was missing. Damn. Then that's when I saw metal glimmering in the quickly fading sunlight. I moved over to the body and then pulled back as I caught a whiff of his stench.

I quickly pulled my bandanna over my nose and began checking the dead man's contents. He had a .40 cal N-99 pistol (40+ rounds) and some caps (35). I searched some more, and found a locket clinched in his fist, it featured him and a young Latino girl. I made a mental note to return it to his family. I moved over to the other man and began searching him as well.

He was carrying a single shot 20 gauge, with a bandolier of 30 shells (6 empty) wrapped around his middle. I took both. Then that's when I noticed the satchel on his hip, which… my eyes widened at the red and tan sticks in the sack. I pulled it away from the cadaver and pulled out one of the boomsticks to inspect.

 _"Well boomskies, they're perfect."_ I said chuckling with myself. I then wrapped the bandolier and satchel around myself and began to move out of the valley. Up here, the scene wasn't any prettier that it had been down in the cave; there were dozens of Gecko bodies' strewn all around, many cut up and missing limbs. Finally, I located the hill where I last saw Sunny and Cheyenne, and there I found my Browning, plus my hat and shades.

I placed the Browning in my holster, and slung the bag of TNT over my shoulder. Good, now it was time to find Sunny. I inspected the ground, analyzing the prints in the sand. I could see my own there as well as a small female and dog; they went down the hill where they got muddled with blown sand and strewed Gecko bodies. These either had teeth lacerations or .223 rounds blown in their chests.

 _"She made a stand here, but she didn't die here. There's no human blood here."_

Okay, I'll accept that. I examined the ground, and although the tracks were muddled and confused with the Geckos, I could begin making out a possible trail that led away from the battle and away from the area. These prints were matched by more Gecko tracks and eventually, bodies. I continued until the tracks led to a rocky outcrop, there the tracks went cold. Damn, but I at least had a direction to follow.

I readjusted the various straps around my shoulders, shoved the .40 cal and ammo into the bag, and donned my 20 gauge. There was nothing else to it, I had to press on and find Sunny, alive… or dead.

* * *

Minutes passed and the sun finally crept behind the horizon and the moon took its place. As for me, I just kept on walking in the outcroppings which had led me to a trench. No tracks or signs yet, but also no blood, human or canine. Then suddenly I heard a loud cry; a female cry. My heart pounding on my ribs, I began racing towards the direction of the sound which had led out of the trench to an overlook.

Then I looked down, and I could see its source. She wasn't Sunny, but probably the 'idjit' that we had been tracking earlier. She was in her late teens, raven black hair and she wore a ripped up waste attire made of rags, in the fight of her life against about half a dozen Geckos with just a kitchen knife. I could already see a long gash along her right arm and she was beginning to drop her defenses from exhaustion. I raised the shotgun to my shoulder and took careful aim.

A split second later the 20 gauge shook and pounded into my shoulder, unleashing a crack of thunder that blew a hole in the Gecko. The 'idjit' then look up at me and I could swear I could see her mouth 'thank you Lord'. I reloaded and shouted to her to move, which she obliged. By now the Gecko were starting rush up at me, presenting perfect targets. I fired again, punching a hole in the nearest of the monsters and drew the Browning.

Strangely enough, time seemed to slow to almost to a standstill, and the Geckos themselves were… glowing in orange tinge. Then my mind focused and the glowing parts moved to encompass the creatures head. Finally I fired, my aim and focus honed to a knife edge, obliterating the Geckos head. I gasped at the sudden focus returning as I found myself entering this slowed 'action time'. I accepted the invitation and focused my mind upon the other three Geckos.

Headshot, headshot, torso and headshot and then… Suddenly I found myself unable to focus any further, so I took my shots that I had been so graciously given. Suddenly my arms and fingers moved like a motor, firing, moving to another and firing. In less than a few seconds the three monsters were downed. I gasped at my sudden control and a sense of… I don't know… equilibrium, flowed through my tensed body and mind, making feel a sort of artificial calm. As my breathing began to regulate and return to a sense of normality, I heard beeping coming from my left hand, or perhaps more specifically, my pip-boy.

I looked down at the beeping screen of the machine, suddenly a message popped up onto the screen: _Thank you for using the Vault-Tec Assisting Targeting System! This added on addition to your Pip-Boy 3000 will allow a greater freedom of accuracy with any weapon of choice!_

Hmm, now that's a mouthful. I remember Doc had mentioned something about a 'time slowing system with enhanced adrenaline'. He claimed that he could never get it to- -

 _"Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"_ Cried the idjit as she practically bear huggedme. Ah man, for a mouse she's pretty damn strong. Ah, ribs hurtin'… can't breathe!

 _"Ah, thanks for the hug!"_ I practically chocked out, _"But could you please let go of me! You're gonna crush me!"_

 _"Oh, I'm sorry!"_ She said as she released me, leaving me to gasp for air, _"It's just that you saved my life…"_

 _"I know. And you can repay me if could tell me if you've seen Sunny Smiles?"_

 _"Sunny? No I haven't! But I did see another set of tracks headin' that way, before I got jumped!"_

I nodded, as she pointed just ahead of me.

 _"Okay thanks! Now you head on to town now!"_

 _"But what about the nest?"_

 _"Let's just say they're having issues with the new crimson decoration they're having all over their walls."_

She gazed at me, her eyes registering a sense of amazement and shock, but she nodded and headed off. I on the other hand began moving forward. I now had a fresh set of tracks ahead of me and they were clear to the light of day. I pressed on, as seconds and minutes passed by in a blur as I charged on forward. Finally I reached the end of the track and found… her.

Sunny was leaning against a wall, dark blood sprayed all over her as she sat with her arms wrapped around her knees, her rifle held limply in her hands. Cheyenne was sitting next to her, covered in blood and panting like a motor from exhaustion. I was about to call out to her when I saw it. Sprawled to the floor was the largest mutant scorpion that I had ever seen, its entire face was completely punched through with an untold number of bullets. Then Sunny looked up at me, her face in minute terror;

 _"Gid behind you!"_

I spun around and almost right in my face was three more of the Mutant Scorpions! I ducked and rolled to my side as one of the things lobbed the air where my head had been with a massive barbed stinger tail! I steady myself and fired the 20 gauge into the monsters face. It whirled in pain and fled behind its two comrades. I cursed and pulled at the Browning. I fired at the things faces until my gun went click.

The three things were still coming at me! As I reached into the satchel and grabbed one of the boomsticks, Sunny was at my side firing her rifle into the one with I had buckshot. It screeched in pain but was still scuttling towards us, and then suddenly Sunny began a firing advance at the thing.

 _"Sunny get back…"_ I screamed but it's was already too late. The monster side swapped her with one of its massive claws, tossing her aside likes a ragdoll into the rocky wall. A similar fate was suffered by Cheyenne, but at least they were clear. I reached into my pocket, pulled out a lighter and set the fuse of the stick. I tossed it at the thing, lodging into its arched back.

A second later the stick exploded and I was knocked back by its concussive force as sprawling body parts began flying everywhere! Suddenly I was slammed upon by its blown apart body that weighed me down. I could now see the other two coming at me and they looked mighty pissed. I struggled to wrench the claw off of me but it was just too heavy. Then I saw something that would make me question my sanity…

A man, barely five-eight tall dressed in a white trenchcoat and a gray fedora, suddenly appeared at my side facing the scorpions. In a flash he procured a massive hand cannon, a forty-four from my guess, and leveled it at the approaching creatures with one hand. Then came the loud crack of an ear splitting sound akin to lightning that thundered through the land, as he dispatched the two oversized Scorpions with ease. The two scorpions went flying as their bodies were ripped apart by the powerful handgun. He then turned to me, and that almost inhuman blank expression that he bore chilled me to the bone.

Then with one hand he grabbed the dead mutant arachnid smothering me and wrenched it away as though it was weightless. Then he grabbed me by my forearm and lifted me to my feet. I felt more afraid of this man than I had of any other, yet I somehow felt safe being next to him. Then he spoke in a flat, yet even voice:

 _"You should be more careful, Mr. Maddox. It is not yet time for you to be at peace."_

 _"Who are you?"_ I asked in a shaky voice, _"Or should I say what are you?"_

He then smiled slightly as he continued to stare at me with those blank, expressionless eyes. Then he spoke again:

 _"I am Arcanum, Courier. Pray that we will meet again on… not so dangerous circumstances. Take care."_

Then, with the fluttering sound of birds' wings, he was gone. My body was shocked still by his sudden appearance and then disappearance, but my mind was racing, turning gears as it looked for the familiarity of this Arcanum. Only then, one could only guess his identity, which in many respects, could have been obvious.

 _"A guardian angel…?"_ I asked softly. Then I heard a groan from my right and my body sudden jolted with energy, as if I had been shocked by electricity. Sunny was lying on the sandy floor, her dog already up and trying to get her up and about with her whines and whimperings. I ran to her side and cradled her limp head in my shaky hands.

 _"Please Sunny,"_ I whispered to her, _"Please don't die because of me. Please don't go…"_

 _"Hmm… Gideon?"_ She suddenly replied with a weak whisper, opening her eyes slowly to beckon on to me, her green iris flashing with recognition.

 _"You okay?"_

 _"Head hurts. Got the wind knocked out of me…"_ As she was saying this, I suddenly realized how moist my hand was. It wasn't from my own sweat rather from Sunny's blood.

 _"How bad is it?"_ She asked. I lifted her head just slightly so I could peer under head, to my relief was nothing more than a road burn. I smiled at her, the sudden relief in my eyes betraying what I wanted to say. She smiled back; as she was doing this Cheyenne came over and liked her hand. She responded by petting her furry head.

Good, she didn't have a spinal injury.

 _"Can you move?"_ I asked her.

 _"Yeah I think so. Why… whoa!"_ She suddenly whooped as in a fluid motion I swept her to her feet. Cheyenne then began barking in admiration at my sudden feat. Sunny placed her hand on my shoulder, bracing herself.

 _"You kill 'em?"_ She asked pointing her hand over my shoulder at the dead irradiated oversized lobsters. _'Yeah'_ was all I could say. I mean what was I supposed to tell her? That some angel in a noir look suddenly popped up and iced the crabs, then suddenly _poof!_ he was gone? Nah, she'd think me loco and maybe try to take me out.

 _"You need a…"_ I began, but she just shook her head. She then proceeded to take point, her rifle slung over her shoulder as I fell in behind like a soldier on the march. Hell, we were on the march. Off to Goodsprings…

* * *

 **Cobb**

* * *

" _I KNOW RINGO IS IN THERE DIPSHIT!"_ I shouted at the moron who was telling me the man who had killed my brother wasn't in that hobble of crap they called Goodspings. I knew he was in there, where else would he be!?

 _"Look Cobb, you've gotta calm it down man. Even if that Ringo bastard is in that town, and that's just if, how we gonna get in?"_

As much as I didn't wanna admit it, the kid was right. Hell, maybe Ringo led a false trail? Shit, he could've doubled back for all I know.

 _"Look…"_ I said, sighing deeply, _"He's in there or not, we gotta check it."_ I looked around at all my crew, 40 and then some. Killers and convicts, the lot of 'em, all dressed in our old prison suits, all arranged in our little campfire 'bout 3 miles outside of town. They all nodded their agreement.

 _"Okay, this how we'll do this shit. Ricky, you take 6 and go into town, all quiet like. Kirk, you'll take 8 of the boys and wait out the town. Got it?"_

 _"Yeah, boss we got it."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

We had been walking for ten minutes, when Cheyenne started barking. At first I thought nothing of it, 'till I realized that she was barking at the sand dunes ahead of me. My hand instinctively went for the shotgun hanging to my side, and shifted closer to one of the dunes. Good thing because Sunny had taken notice, then suddenly the hill went alive with fire. I grabbed Sunny and ducked behind the sand dune as a round went past my head and into the rocks in front of me.

 _"Shit! Shit! Shit!"_ Sunny cursed as she pulled out her rifle and cocked it another round, _"Where'd these guys come from!?"_ I wasn't paying attention; however, I was focusing my gaze at the figures holding the high ground above us. Whoever they were, they weren't very smart. They were using cover but were stupid enough to be hanging out enough for me to see them, hell even pick 'em off from here. Though if it hadn't been Cheyenne they would've gunned us down in less than a second… Wait where was Cheyenne?

My answer was given by a short whimper and moan. I looked to my right, and I saw the dog, though her tail was now a bloody stump. _Bastards,_ my mind swore. But now was not the time to be thinkin' about that. I pulled out the .40 cal with one hand and 9mm in the other.

I looked over to Sunny and she nodded.

 _"Go for it! I've got you covered!"_ I nodded and soon I sprang from my feet in fast run, firing the two weapons into the hillside. It wasn't a blind hit or miss, my hands were rock steady and the foe on the hill made easy targets. I poured shots into the foe, two dropped from their combined fire, with one's arm blown off in the darkness. That was when they noticed and took fire at me from some kind automatic. I quickly rolled and lunged behind a boulder, hugging its precious cover as it was peppered by suppressing fire.

I then put away my handguns, and drew out of the boomsticks, the one with the long fuse. They were about 30ft out on a 10ft slope, so… I made the mental calculations, and prepped the dynamite, setting the fuse. I then stood and tossed it at the fools on the ridge. Damn, it bounced on one of the rocks and slid back down the ridge. It then exploded below the target, but it was able to blow up enough sand to give me a smoke screen to move in.

I dodged out of cover and dove for the one in front of me. Then suddenly time slowed down. The screen began dissipating, reveling an exploding head, whose hand still clenched a 9mm SMG which sprayed off a burst. I gazed over to where Sunny was and in slow motion I saw the strafing rounds bounce off her cover, but one smashed into her metal chestplate, causing to back from the recoil and then another slammed into her leg. She let out a cry as hot pain was no doubt shooting through her body, as it was mine.

I could feel the rage flowing through me but an iron cold discipline countered it and ordered me to draw my handguns. I did so, rolling to my feet and bringing them up to eye level. Then time stopped and the strange equilibrium began soothing my troubled mind, then targets began lighting up in that orange hue. With precision in total control, I began picking my targets. _Head, torso, torso_ and… then I began to lose focus so I accepted my aim.

My left hand rocked as the .40 cal fired a stem of burning anger into my target, and then my right hand finished off the last one. I holstered my pistols, and then drew my knife from its sheath. I leaped onto the flat top and slammed my knife into the chest of the first target that came running over the crest. He slummed into the floor and then his two remaining buddies came running at me. One had his pistol aimed at me, but his draw was two seconds too slow.

I ducked under his arm and slammed my fist into his gut. He tried to recoil in pain, but I grabbed him by his blue coat, and kneed him in his leg. He began dropping in pain, so I sped up the process by smashing my fist into his face, slamming him into the floor. The second one was almost on top of me but I was ready for him. As he lunged at me, I grabbed his fling body and twisted my back, sending him flying over my shoulder. The fool on the floor was trying to raise his pistol, so I disabused him of the notion by slamming the heel of my combat boot into his wrist, breaking the joint with a satisfying crunch.

He cried out in pain, but it wouldn't help him. I'd be back for him, when I've finished his friend. Speaking of, he was standing now with a heavy duty baton in his hands. I turned towards him, locked eyes and grinned at him, putting forth my left hand in the _'come and get some'_ gesture. He accepted, swinging his baton high as he charged. I took a step back and held my fist for him to meet.

He met it alright, with him skidding to his back as his face took the full impact of my fist. Quickly, I moved in and delivered an elbow to his face to keep him dazed. I then grabbed his baton hand and twisted it forcefully, breaking it and catching the fallen baton. He screamed, but that was stopped when I smashed the baton over his head with all the force I could manage, so much that it actually broke the stick. I dropped the broken stick, and used a rock to finish him off.

Slowly, I stood up, my face once more covered in fresh blood. I then moved over to the body with my knife and yanked it free.

 _"Die you motherfucker gahhhh!"_ a voice screamed from over my shoulder. I spun and there I saw him, the man who had tried to shoot me, but this time he had cold, white fangs in his throat. Cheyenne released the limp body and came running over to me, whinnying in an urgent groan. What was…? Oh God, Sunny!

I swept back down the hill like a man on fire, hoping that I wasn't too late.


	5. Chapter IV: Big Trouble in a Little Town

**Chapter IV:**

 **Big Trouble in a little Town**

* * *

 **Mitchell**

* * *

" _I just don't know, Trudy! He just woke up, passed his test phenomenally and then headed into town!"_ I exclaimed to a distraught Trudy. Her tawny and older look was red with a mixture of fear and anger all bottled up in a dangerous concoction. She continued to glare at me as she spoke:

 _"Look, Sunny's been missing fer hours; your friend entered my bar and left with her! She's never this late! Damn it Mitchell, what if she's hurt out there or- -"_

 _"Don't you think about that, Trudy!"_ I interrupted her, drawing her head to my shoulder as she started to weep, _"We both know Sunny can look out fer herself. And if you say she went with Gideon, she should be safe."_

 _"What do you mean?"_ She asked, looking up at me with questioning eyes.

 _"I saw the look in Gide's eyes, his build, and the way he moved, but most importantly; the number of scars all over his body."_

She pushed herself away from my embrace, locking her questioning eyes onto my own, and I could swear she was look through at my soul. I sighed and explained:

 _"Gideon has atleast two dozen scars, more or less, over his chest, back and forearms. Mind you these aren't workers scars, either."_

 _"What were they caused by?"_

 _"Look I'm no combat surgeon, but I remember the Troopers we took in after Boulder City. The majority of the wounds they suffered came from Legion Gladiuses."_

 _"They were the same?"_

 _"Almost certainly, Turdy. He also has four bullet holes, two in his left leg, another in his shoulder and one along his right arm. All from .357 repeater rifle rounds."_

 _"You mean- -"_

 _"Yes, whoever Gideon is or was, he bears the scars of a Legion fighter."_

 _"You think he's NCR? Maybe a soldier or a Ranger…"_

 _"I don't think so, Trudy. These scars; from the earliest healin' of these wounds, date goes back even fifteen years ago."_

She nodded, understanding; _"Long enough before the Bear showed up here. So what is he, then?"_

Suddenly, our conversation was cut short by loud shouting down the hill. Then my eyes went wide, and I could hear Trudy gasp aloud. It was Gideon running up the hill with Cheyenne at his side, but what was he carrying… Then I saw the red hair. Oh God, it was Sunny.

 _"Doc!"_ Gideon shouted up at me from down the hill, _"Sunny's been shot!"_

With a haste I hadn't felt since I was a young man, I opened and propped open the door as Gideon came running on in.

 _"Get her on the operating table, now!"_ I shouted at him, as I moved into the back room and pulled out my doctors' bag…

* * *

"… _And that's when I showed up here."_ Gideon said, finishing his retelling of everything that had happened since he had left my home. I felt a new pulsing pain in my forehead, a feeling I had not felt sense my days as a wondering doctor. It had been a feeling I hoped I would never have to encounter again. I looked at Trudy, who was pondering deeply:

 _"You said that the men who ambushed you two were wearing blue jumpsuits?"_ She asked. Gideon nodded, sighing deeply:

 _"Yeah, and they had white lettering on their coats, but it was too dark for me to see them."_

 _"You didn't need to, Gideon,"_ I began, my fist curling hard, _"From the description; they're those fuckin' NCR chaingangs they keep up the road at that damn prison."_

 _"That could be the reason that we haven't had any word from Sloan or Hell, anybody north for that matter."_ Trudy added. Then she stared long and hard at Gideon and then at me.

 _"I think you know why they're here, don't ya?"_ Trudy asked me and I nodded.

 _"Ringo."_

 _"Who's Ringo?"_ Gideon suddenly asked. I sighed and beckoned him over:

 _"'bout a week before I pulled the lead out of yer head, we found a caravaner by the name of Ringo who was in pretty bad shape. Those convicts that ambushed you? Me and Trudy think they did the same to Ringo and they want to finish the job."_

 _"Well shit,"_ Gideon cursed, his hand moving towards the 9mm in his holster, _"I killed eight on that hill. You think there are anymore?"_

 _"More than likely, Gideon. That means we're going on full alert…"_ Trudy replied, standing from her chair and heading towards the door; _"I'm gonna go talk to Easy Pete about getting patrols out, maybe we can put up enough of an appearance that they'll leave us alone."_

With that she headed out the door, and into the night.

 _"Is Sunny gonna be okay, Doc?"_ Gideon asked, his tone betraying a sense of fear in his voice. I nodded:

 _"The only real damage was to her leg. No bone damage, but she's still lost a lot of blood and she still has a minor concussion. I think we should keep her in bed fer atleast a couple more days."_

He nodded, understanding. However, I could still see guilt locked deep into his hazel eyes. I placed a heavy hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort the younger man:

 _"Gideon, what happened to you wasn't your fault. If you hadn't…"_

 _"If I hadn't run off on her in my blind hate, she wouldn't have been shot!"_ Gideon interrupted bitterly, his head stooped low like a child who was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

 _"Maybe Gideon, but you still saved her life, found out that there are deranged convicts out here and you risked your life to save Jessica."_

 _"Jessica, you mean...?"_

 _"Yes, Gideon. The girl you found outside of town, and you wiped out the Gecko nest without even a scratch. Hell, people are already talkin' 'bout you…"_

 _"Really?"_

 _"Well sure. You get shot twice in the head and yet you survived. You saved two of our townsfolk, wiped out the nest, killed three Rad Scorps, and to top that off; you effortlessly killed a group of murderous convicts. You're starting to build up a legend all 'bout you, Mr. Maddox."_

Gideon practically stared at me, but then he sighed and took out his hand from his pocket.

 _"This belonged to anybody?"_ He said, opening his hand to reveal a locket, with a picture of a rather familiar young couple inside. I nodded:

 _"That was Thomas Rodriguez with Maria Sanchez. Where'd you find it?"_

 _"On the body of Thomas: along with probably his deceased brother, outside the nest."_

I nodded grimly; it had been heart breaking to tell their family and mother that they wouldn't be seeing their sons again. But now…

 _"They lived in a house across from the Saloon. You going there?"_

 _"Yeah. I made a promise to return it to his family. And I aim to keep my promises."_ Gideon replied, his face hardening into a grimace as he stood and walked towards the door. Before he left, he turned and stared me in the eye:

 _"I'll be back, to check on Sunny."_

Just like that he was gone, the swinging door the only reminder of his former appearance…

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

 _The house just across the road from the saloon,_ my mind reminded me as I walked along the road in the center of town. The cold night air was chilling, but it kept me awake and focused. The darkness about me was drawn and illuminated in glowing silver from the many stars and moon above me. I had often found myself gazing at the stars, their splendor and trinity seeming to ignore the horrors of the lands far below, as though the stars were the eyes of God…

Suddenly, my eyes spotted movement from the corner of my eyes and my hands drew the shotgun in a tight grip. There were five of them, all armed. They could've been the townsfolk, but there was no way that Trudy could've gotten the town organized this quick. Besides, they were trying to hug the shadows, stay silent and covered. Okay, let's see what these guys are up to.

I crouched low, and began to tail them. They were moving slowly through the center of town and my guess was that they were trying to find some sort of highground. Then suddenly they stopped and one of them called out to his team, so I ducked behind cover within earshot. Then a second later they were moving again, but now I could tell where they were going, a gas station on a hill overlooking the town. Gears began turning in my head, the tactical side of my mind placed me in their commanders shoes, if you needed to find or prepare… something, then the best place to do it is on the highground.

They began creeping up the hill, so I followed. I kept low to the ground, shotgun in front, moving at a snail's pace. Finally they reached the crest and were getting ready for what looked like a breach maneuver, the man with a shotgun being pointman. As he was getting ready for a kick, there was a loud crack of fire, the door splintered and the pointman dropped to his back, three nine millimeter bullets still steaming from his chest. Then the moon revealed the parties true allegiance, their blue coats betraying their identity.

I needed no more proof, so I raised the 20 gauge and fired into the closest target. He dropped, so I slung away the shotgun and drew my handgun. Then more fire roared from inside the gas station and another of the gunmen dropped. Now they had their guns aimed at me, but their focus was still shifted to the gas station, so I took my chance. I raised the pistol executioner style and dispatched the remaining convicts to buy the farm downstairs.

As the smoked began to clear, a figured popped out from the darkness and I raised the .40 cal on him. Then he stepped forward, and raised his own handgun on me as well. I looked him up and down, the moon giving me enough light to work with. He wore the torn brown caravaner overalls of a Crimson Caravan merchant, a trading company back in California. He was younger than me; his tone of skin betrayed a Latino descent with flurried black hair, and a cocky smile to complete it all.

Then he spoke in a rather overconfident tone:

 _"Had we had us some women thrown into the mix, I think we could consider this a Mexican Standoff."_

I had to control myself from laughing, but it was hard not to. This guy may have been a cocky son of a bitch, but I liked him. I raised my handgun up and placed it back into my holster, which he followed and did so as well.

 _"You Ringo?"_ I asked him. He replied with a wide grin:

 _"You that deadman the Doc fixed up? You have those bandages over your head after all."_

I nodded, my hand reaching up to touch the sore spot instinctually. I looked up and saw the cocky bastard moving over the strewed bodies, walking towards me. He then stared me hard in the eyes and scoffed.

 _"Bastards thought they could sneak up on me! Double Stups, I've been expecting them for a week and here they were!"_

I smiled back at him. I knew the feeling he was going through; waiting in anticipation for your foes, hardly sleeping with one eye watching the door. Finally they come, steel and skill is matched, and you get the lucky ace, you on top. It was feeling that I, somehow with all my lost memory, knew all too well.

 _"Don't get too cocky son, or you'll cock up your own chances of livin'."_

 _"Know that much, dead man! Death nearly got her cold hands on me 8 and half nights ago, and it was only my rather catchy sense of luck that saved me."_

 _"I think we all know-"_ I began, then suddenly I heard footsteps behind me running with all haste up the hill. I spun, the .40 cal pointing at the approaching shadow. I could hear Ringo doing likewise, but then the figure step into the moonlight and her feminine features became clear.

 _"Gideon! Ringo!"_ the familiar low set voice of Trudy shouted out, _"We got trouble! Both of you come with me now!"_

She spun back down the hill and I followed, the .40 cal held rock steady in my hand. I could Ringo following behind me, and Trudy ran onto solid flattop towards the towns homes. Soon we could see what the problem was as we approached one of the homes was both illuminated and ringed by armed and pissed townsfolk.

 _"Anybody so much as come an inch-!"_ Shouted a voice from inside the house before he was interrupted by another voice, a woman's voice:

" _Por favor, ayúdanos! Ellos tienen los niños en la parte trasera-!"_ Then her voice was silenced by a loud crack.

 _"Shut it hag, or you'll get it in your mouth!"_

Though my Spanish was rusty at best, I got the idea of what she was saying. They had more than one hostage.

 _"Trudy, stall them! I'm gonna find a way in."_ I whispered, and she nodded. She step forward and began to shout at the gunmen. Quickly I moved to a side building, and climbed up onto its roof. I moved and jump to another, until I was exactly behind the hostage takers home. Then my eyes caught movement, and I sighed. Ringo moved up next to me and stared at the building.

 _"You're not gonna-?"_

 _"Yes I am."_

 _"You loco, man! But what the hell."_

The house was an old adobe home, and I could see a large crack on the roof. I braced myself and leaped, Ringo to my left, and our feet landed home into the cracked roof. Our weight crashed through and I rolled in mid air, knocking into one of the convicts. My knife was out in a heartbeat, and I felt the blade slam home into a strong piece of bone. The convicts eyes glazed over and I dropped the cadaver.

 _"Get back!"_ Someone up front shouted and began firing a 9mm SMG in my direction. I dodged to my right behind a wall, and drew the N-99. I then heard whimpering to my side, and I could see tiny children huddled in the corner.

" _Está bien! Loco malo hombres…eh… no daño tu!"_ I whispered to them in my clumsy Spanish, but they nodded in response.

 _"Let her go, you bastard!"_ Ringo suddenly shouted as he advance forward, pistol in hand. I then wrenched my knife out of the dead man's chest, and readied myself.

 _"Make me-!"_ the convict retorted, just as I rolled out from the corner and leaped into the air. He had an old woman held, gazing at me but holding his SMG away, with my knife rolling forward and slamming into his forehead. I held the old woman steady, with her weeping into my shoulder as I breathed irregularly and unevenly, as the dead men slumped against the wall and onto the floor. Four men, each of tanned skinned and black haired ran forward and kicked down the door. The lead one ran up to me and took hold of the old woman.

 _"Thank you."_ He said as he cradled the woman who may have been his mother, judging from her age and plumpness. I nodded, sheathed my knife, and reached into my pocket. I pulled out my hand and loosed the locket held in my grip. He held his hand out and gladly took it. I walked out, with Ringo close by and Trudy ran up to me.

 _"You okay?"_ She asked.

 _"I'm hungry…"_

* * *

I sat at the long stretching bar, letting the warm stew brew in my mouth and drain down my throat. It had been a long time, as much as memory allowed, since I had a meal after a pre assumed victory.

 _"So you really can't remember your past?"_ Trudy asked, sitting to my side, eating an identical stew.

 _"Only bits and pieces of memory, Trudy, but each piece are unconnected to the other by a long span of time."_

 _"So what do you know?"_

 _"Best guess is I'm from Montana,"_ I began, relating the shards of broken images that were my past, _"I think my family ran a ranch of sorts, not sure about that one though. I killed my first man when I was just a kid, saving a man from robbers."_

I looked over at Trudy; her paled and long completion hadn't even twitched as I began telling my tale.

 _"Um, had a younger sister named Cathy? Family was fairly religious by all accounts, as I can recite most of the Good Book like I was looking through it…"_

 _"Interesting. Though I don't think you're any kind of preacher."_ Trudy replied, rather nonchalantly though.

 _"Then the rest of it is just snapshots though,"_ I began again, recalling everything else I could remember; _"There all just single pictures, but most tell a grim tale."_

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"I've probably killed more men than one could count, but most were bad as far as I could tell. My life from the sorts has been just one gunfight after another, one tragedy after another…"_

 _"It would seem that the shadow of misfortune has followed you, up until this point. Afterall, you surviving getting shot in the head has got to be some streak of luck."_ Trudy relented, finishing where I had trailed off.

 _"I don't think so, Trudy. I don't much believe in luck, as it rarely replies in answer. No, if I'm alive it's because someone, or perhaps something, wanted me to."_

 _"How do you know that, Gideon?"_

I thought back to Arcanum, back to the blank faced Angel or whatever it was. I thought back to what the Doc had said, that it was either pure luck or deliberate that I only suffered minor brain damage. Ultimately, the biggest clue I had to some interference in my untimely death was that… Mysterious Stranger. However, I and I alone knew about him and it was going to stay that way. But then again I did feel…

 _"I feel like I'm being watched, Trudy…"_ I said after a long period of silence, _"Watched and followed, like some shadow I can't see, but yet it's there."_

Trudy nodded, understanding the situation. Then she looked up and began to stare at an old and battered radio across from us. Finally she spoke:

 _"After the business with Ringo and the Convicts is over with, will you be going after pretty boy and his Khans?"_

I nodded.

 _"Well then I've got a proposition fer you then."_ Trudy said pointing at the broken radio. Before she could speak any further, I was up and examining the radio. The damage wasn't all that bad, the back was opened and there were a few wires torn. However, in about less than five some odd minutes, a few sparks and tying up, the radio began to blare once again:

 _"…zzzt… elcome back to the New Vegas Show; the show that always breaks the heart, but fixes 'em right up! On today's top news, fresh troops from California have been arriving in continual droves as the NCR continues to reinforce its hold at Camp Forlorn Hope and the outposts' around Hoover Dam. In response, Legion forces at Nelson launched a series of attacks against the valiant defenders at Forlorn Hope and the refugee camp of Bitter Springs. Despite heavy fighting and mounting casualties, the NCR continues to hold these areas against the Crimson Marauders. Well that's all the news I have for you folks, so please enjoy this next song by a Boy named Sue!"_

As I listened to continuing rambling of bad news, dark images began to fill my mind and reality. Images of battle and bloodshed, men fighting beast. The overwhelming tides of Crimson at our feet, but yet over the horizon more were coming. I didn't understand the images, but I knew with clarity that they were real, and I had experienced them. My face slowly gloomed until it was a snarl; a snarl at the mention of the Legion.

 _"This is personal for you. Isn't it?"_ Trudy questioned, a growing concern written all over her pale face.

 _"Yeah I guess it is. Despite all of the memory loss, I feel connected to this conflict in more ways than one. I know of the Bear and of the Bull; the reasons why they are here. Yet despite it all, I feel I'm on my own side in this matter."_ I replied, a snarl of exhausted anger hissing through clenched teeth. I sat down with an exhausted grunt, as the radio began to play a song about a boy looking to kill his absent, evil eyed father. Silence crept into the room as the memories and images began to wash over me the streaming pour of an anger river.

 _"The pretty boy and the Khans?"_ Trudy said, breaking the long standing silence. I nodded and she continued;

 _"Before they smashed my radio, they were talking 'bout going doing the I-95 and past the town of Nipton…"_

 _"Up towards Vegas?"_ I asked; finishing where I suspected Trudy was going to finish. She nodded, and I nodded as well. I stood up slowly and asked her if they had someplace for me to stay and rest my head. She nodded and handed me a key. It read _Room # 012_ , and I tossed it into my pocket as I walked out through the door and into the cold night. The swinging door proved the only reminder of my previous of day before me…

As I walked out into the cold, moonlighted night, I began wondering where the blazes I was going. I wasn't going into the direction of the houses that was for certain. Then I looked up and I saw a looming hill of dread with moon silhouetting the tall tombstones, marking the dead and gone. I chuckled to myself as began walking up the sloping hill, somehow my conscious was taking me to someplace one wouldn't be expecting, a place I wouldn't even know about: the place of my death. I climb the crest and looked about the plain of death before me.

Then I saw it, the only real clue of common sense I had for the entire day, a large hole dug at the far end the cemetery. I began walking towards, conscious of the ever looming and rowed tombstones and crosses to my left, right and center. So many dead, and there would be more in the next few days. I shook my head and kept on walking, until I stood before my grave. I stood there wondering why I was here, and then I saw it.

Something metal gloomed in the moonlight under the coverage of the dirt. I jumped down and began to dig, until the full thing was unburied. I pulled it up and out of the dirt, and began to examine it. It was a holster; older than the one I wore yet I seemed to know it far more. I rolled my gaze down the leather and cotton, then to the gleaming handle.

There it was, filled with something gleaming in the light. I reached my hand in and pulled it out. It weighed less than a pound, yet it felt heavier. It was silver in color, smoothed out and had tight, comfortable hand grip that held a magazine of eight; _Eight .45 Automatic Colt Pistol rounds,_ my mind confirmed. My eyes then moved to the end of the Colt and I turned it, finding an engravement on its end: _Look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair_

Visions and memories began to fill my mind, images of the Colt's red glare as lives were taken and armors of crimson strain with red as the echoes of thunder tore them apart. Then my eyes found something else in the loose sand. It was a bag, old and leather. My hand reached out for as I activated the Pip-Boy light, opening the top to look inside. There were just about everything else I seemed to be missing…

A shadow taller than my own shrouded me. I spun on my heels, going to one knee and drawing both handguns pointed at the looming figure. He stood as dark as a shadow, then suddenly his face lighted into a terminal screen, the center of it was covered by the image of a grinning cowboy, hat and winking eye to give it a rather goofy look. I stood, pistols held tight as I began to study its appearance. It was large, about seven feet in height with its torso boxlike. Its shoulders were like cupboards, with hose like arms going from his side connecting to claw like hands.

He had no feet, rather a single massive wheel. We stood staring at each other, unsure of the others intent. Finally he spoke, his voice sounded like stereotypical cheerful cowpoke from a prewar film:

 _"Howdy Partner! Ye can put down them guns, I mean no harm. Afterall, I'm the one who dug you up in the first place!"_

 _"You must be Victor…"_ I replied, bringing my pistols down to hip level but still pointing into his luminous torso. He seemed to nod:

 _"That I be, Partner. I see the Doc fixed ye good and sorts. Granted you had me worried fer a tell, Pard!"_

 _"Yeah, don't know whether it was skill or some kind intervention, on a… upstairs level."_

 _"What, don't believe in luck?"_

 _"No. The only reason I'm still breathing is because something wants me to."_

 _"Hmm, I guess that's one way of puttin' it."_

 _"Why'd you dig me up, Vic?"_

 _"Well I was out on a stroll when I spotted abunchaov bad eggs, so I laid low. Heard pretty boy talkin' 'bout goin' to Vegas, as his boys were burying you. When they left, I dug you up and got you to the Doc right proper. And here you are."_

 _"And here I am."_ I sighed as shoved the pistols back into their holsters, and started walking back down the hill, with the sound of rubber following me.

 _"We'll talk in the morning, Vic. I need to sleep."_

 _"You do that I'm gonna take my stroll abouts."_

Like that he was gone and I walked on, finding _Room # 012_ , and disappearing into its dark confounds…

* * *

 **Translations**

 _Por favor, ayúdanos! Ellos tienen los niños en la parte trasera-!_

Please, help us! They have the children in the back-!

 _Está bien! Loco malo hombres…eh… no daño tu-!_

It's okay! Crazy bad men ... uh ... not going to hurt you!


	6. Chapter V: Ghost Town Gunfight

**Chapter V:**

 **Ghost Town Gunfight**

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I woke early, still relishing a dreamless sleep as I sat up and began to don my gear. The Pip-Boy light illuminated the still dark room as I dressed, the internal clock informing of the fifth hour. Finally I moved to the Colt, still in its holster. I knew consciously that they had been buried in the dirt for an unknown amount of time, I had been lucky I hadn't had need of it when I found it. I sighed, and grabbed my bag, unzipping an inside pocket along the inside of the main hold.

I reached in and pulled my bundle of tools, as well as a can of oil. I sat down and began then muscle memorized procedure of taking apart the pistol, then cleaning away any filth that had found its way in the main compartments. Then I washed it down thoroughly with the gun oil, wiping it down and then pull it back together again. After this, I reached into the bag and found another bag hidden away in a compartment. This however was a conversion kit for the Browning.

Prior to the US Army acceptance of the N-80, the grandfather of the N-99, the LAPD found that the 9mm didn't have the adequate stopping power necessary in the heavy rise of crime. So a new version with a heavy duty slide was created both for the .40 and .45 ACP. I had the latter here. In addition to the caliber change, a new cartridge magazine was developed to share with the 1911.

As I began to remove the slide and barrel, I noticed the inscription on the side of the .45 slide:

 _A man is never too weak, when the cause is greater than his life._

 _"Yeah that sounds just about right, Oenomaus. Especially in your case."_

I made a mental count of both ammunition, and number of magazines; of which I had a grandstanding eight, but only half of these were loaded.

 _"I'm going to need more. Lot's more."_

I then placed the load clips into the empty ammo pockets on the side of my pistol belt, and slung on the bandoleer. Then I slid Parabellum into my right boot, locking on the sheath catch. The coat went next, and then I shouldered my bag and the 20 gauge. Finally, I placed the boonie hat on my head and head out the door. The dawn was yet to come, but I could begin to see light creeping up over the horizon like long spider legs. I began walking out into town, and I was surprised to find a good majority of the town up, running about and constructing long running walls of cover along the north and south sides of the town.

I nodded approvingly, some part of me somehow approving their course of action. The walls were of strong timber and sandbags, carefully arranged to where they formed two layers of cover, with caches place every five yards with ammo and guns. However most of these were still empty. Another mental note, talk to the towns' armorer about the surplus issue. I walked on, my first stop would be the Doc's then I would visit the shop. As I passed the Saloon, I could see patrols of 3 moving about, a few to my left and right.

When they passed by, they saluted and nodded in my direction. I just put on a good face and kept on walking. Then out of the corner of my eye, Trudy and an older man with a thick white beard and a rawhide hat approached.

 _"Mornin' Gideon!"_ Trudy shouted in my direction, _"Listen! I need your help!"_

 _"What's up?"_ I said, pulling an about face and walking up to her.

 _"We're havin' supply problems—"_

 _"More like an idiot problem…"_ grumbled the old man. Trudy gave him an annoyed look, and the old man just shook his head.

 _"So what's the problem?"_ I asked.

 _"Town's shopowner's refusing to give up badly needed ammo and armor without a price, which we can't pay."_

 _"Where is he?"_ I asked. She pointed over to a neighboring building marked _General Store_. I nodded and headed inside.

 _"Morning Partner!"_ A voice called out as I entered the room. He was in his early 30's, extremely tanned and was almost completely covered in dark, black hair.

 _"Name's Chet and I wop-!"_ He shouted as I grabbed him by his lapels and slammed him against the wall.

 _"Chet, I was shot not a week ago, so my patience is a little thin. This town's about to be attacked by ruthless convicts who are probably gonna kill everybody and burn this town to the ground."_ I growled into his face, so close I could hear his soft, pathetic whimpers. Chet was a kind of person who wanted the piece of the pie, but wanted a bit of everybody else's without a worth of sweat. They can't be reasoned with. Instead you have to make the attempt not worth the work.

 _"So what do want me to do?"_

 _"I need you to give Trudy her requisition so this town can have an even chance of surviving the next few days, and you can keep running this shop."_

Chet visible gulped, and oddly enough I grinned wolfishly.

 _"Now,"_ I continued, _"You got any .45 ammo I could buy? I will pay of course."_

* * *

I walked out of the shop, forty rounds filling the pouches on my belt snuggly with an extra lump of surplus in my bag. I paid for the ammo and got a little extra from the sold N-99 and ammo. I was richer by 140 caps, a decent price, with some extra gear making up for the loss of weight. Trudy and the old man appeared from the sideline:

 _"That was fast,"_ commented the old man, _"You kill him?"_

 _"Nope; but your requisition is coming in, free of charge. Now if you don't have anything else, Trudy, I've got some business to take care of."_

She nodded, and I continued up the hill towards the Doc's house. As I approached the house, the front door opened and Doc step out, a hand spread out invitingly.

 _"Gideon!"_ Mitchell shouted cheerfully, _"Please come in!"_

I did so, walking into the old home once more. My eyes immediately drifted to the operating table, finding it empty. I felt a hand grip more shoulder reassuringly:

 _"She's sleeping Giedon. Not to worry she'll make a full recovery. Listen I need to talk to you, sit please."_

I sat once more on the old and rather lumpy couch, Mitchell moving to the chair in front.

 _"Have you been remembering things?"_

 _"Well that's a little blunt, don't you think?"_

 _"Gideon…"_

 _"Yes, Doc. I have."_

He sighed deeply, creasing his eyes with his hand:

 _"I don't know whether that's a good or bad thing, Gide."_

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"The part of your brain that keeps your explicate memory was almost all but rip apart by the bullet. When I was operating of that part of brain trying to get the lead out of you I…"_

 _"What, Doc?"_

 _"I had to use an enhance stimpak to sterilize and heal your injuries so I could get the bullet out of you. Brain tissue isn't supposed to regrow, especially memory tissue…"_

 _"But introduce a drug that quadruples your cell metabolism, and it does, doesn't it?"_

He nodded.

 _"For that reason Gideon, your memory will slowly return in fragments. But the problem is that it's very unpredictable. I don't know what the long term effects this could have on you because… well, because…"_

 _"Because I'm the only one who has actually survived the procedure, ain't I?"_

Once again he nodded. Well that about explains a few things, but even the Doc had no idea what toll this would take…

 _"Hey you two!"_ Ringo shouted as he practically stormed through the door, _"We've got trouble!"_

Like that I was up on my feet, Colt in hand as I stormed through the door after Ringo, with Doc close behind. As we stormed down the hill, I then saw where we were going. The entrance to the Saloon was crowded with angry and blaster wielding townsfolk, pointing at a man wearing a blue jumpsuit with a Kevlar suit on. As I entered, the man locked eyes with Ringo and hissed out what sounded like _'knew it'._

 _"Cobb!"_ Ringo growled as he raised his handgun on the tall black man. Cobb reached into his holster but withdrew as the people around drew just a step closer. Piss them off, and he'd become a cadaver faster than you can say tombstone. He then turned to Trudy, who was leaning on the long bar:

 _"I knew you were lying, bitch! Know I've got over three dozen boys out there ready to rip this place apart, unless you hand that sonovabitch over to me now!"_

 _"I'm right here you ass!"_ Ringo growled as he holstered his pistol and approached Cobb, his arms spread wide, _"How 'bout we take this outside and finish what we started, Pendejo!"_

Before the two could go to blows, I step between the two, the Colt pointing barely a few inches from Cobb's forehead. I locked eyes with him and growled:

 _"Alive or dead; your choice, Cobb. You try to take this place and we'll bury you here!"_

Then I pulled the Browning with my left hand and I smacked its hilt into his face in a lightning fast whirl of metal. He went to his knees, his hands covering his bloodied face. I holstered the pistols, and then grabbed him by his lapels and I threw out the door and into the street. I stepped out, Browning in hand as Cobb rose to his feet.

 _"You've got 10 seconds to get out of town before I begin putting holes in you!"_

 _"What?!"_

I then fired a round at his feet, blowing up a cloud of smoke as he jumped into the air and started running down the road.

 _"Run, gallina! Run!"_ Ringo shouted as he fired a few rounds either side of Cobb. Like that he was spiriting down the road like a jackrabbit being chased by coyote. The crowd inside roared with laughter as Cobb went over the front wall and rolled out of site. Trudy then walked up to my side:

 _"Well?"_ she asked.

 _"He'll be here. Tomorrow at dawn from the North would be my guess."_ I answered, my eyes never leaving the horizon.

 _"We'll be ready then."_

* * *

The day passed as quickly as it had come. It was quickly blurred with the movement of preparation, as the townsfolk were preparing their defenses with an air of discipline. Somehow, in the back of my mind, I could truly credit Trudy for organizing the town into a fine military force, as it was truly a rarity to see. Despite the fact I had lost most of my memory, the tactical side of my brain hadn't lost its touch, as the Doc had commented. I spent a good amount of the day examining and pointing out weak spots in the defense, shuffling people into the positions that suited their abilities, instructing them on the finer points of the time hold tactic, simply called _"Wait-and-fire"._ Perhaps better put by Easy Pete, the old white bearded man:

 _"Wait till you see the whites of their eyes and then blow them all over our fine Goddamn dirt! A fine hail, till they're pieces! It'll save up on graves!"_

Overall, we had 28 shooters, men and women, old and young, who we could use. The Convicts probably had us outnumbered by a 2-to-1 margin, but I knew deep inside myself that the better prepared always wins. We were going to position 20 of the shooters on the Northern wall, where the attack would come, and the rest in reserve at the back wall. Everyone else who was a noncombatant would be kept inside the old school house, well away from the main battle. Then, as the last of our preparations were being finalized, the sun drifted behind the horizon, painting the skies a bright pallet of reds and pinks.

I knew the omen though; the blood dusk. By tomorrow, blood would be spilled over the desert floor. However; only one army, whether Goodsprings or the Convicts, would win the day, and the victor would be chosen here. Finally, night crept over and shrouded the land in darkness. I felt no fatigue, no tiredness. For this night, there would be no rest, not for me…

The first rays of dawn were beginning to creep once more over the hill, and my eyes caught movement down the ridge, close to a mile down the road. I signaled the runner, and silently word was spread throughout the town. The shooters moved into position, keeping a low profile as to not expose us. I crawled to my barricade, just to the middle of the wall. I had switched the shotgun for an intensity scoped bolt action 5.56mm varmint rifle. As I lay in the sand, the shooters moved to position on either side of me, guns ready to rock and roll.

Ringo moved close to me, his Browning Hi-Power clenched in hand:

 _"Ready, Jefe?"_

 _"Let them come close. Pass the word."_ I replied in a low whisper. Then that's when we all heard voices up the road. I peered through the wall, and I could see them moving in packs, 100 yards out. Then 80 yards out, then 50 yards a minute later.

 _"Steady."_ I whispered. 35 yards now, 10 to a pack, 15 feet apart. Not yet, not yet… 15 yards!

 _"I don't know about this Cobb. This seems like a trap."_

 _"Now!"_ I roared as we rose to our feet, and like in an old prewar film, the well known thunder of guns firing one after the other at our targets sounded. The Convicts in the front never stood a chance, as the first squad was wiped out to the last in less than a few seconds.

 _"Let 'em have it!"_ Easy Pete bellowed as he dispatched a Convict ten feet away with an aged revolver. The exchange of fire had begun, and it was obvious we had the upper hand. The barricade was sturdy and it provided good cover as we began picking them off one by one. I had gone to the Colt and was reloading when I heard a sizzling sound. I look down and I saw the boom-stick at my feet.

 _"Son of a-!"_ I shouted as I grabbed the dynamite and I threw it into the air. It went about as far as one could jump and then it exploded. The blast knocked me over. My ears were ringing, my head was spinning and I could barely see. When I came to; Ringo was standing over me, firing away with his Browning.

Suddenly, a man in blue lunged and doubled him over, the two rolling in a pitted struggle. Although every fiber in my body screamed out in pain, I blocked out the voices and drew Parabellum from its sheath on my boot. I readied myself and then I lunged, crashing into the blue man and knocking him to the floor. Before he could move, I ended his life with a flash of silver. Then I looked up and there was another convict with a shotgun aimed right at my face.

Then he was dropped, his chest exploding with a shower of red. I looked over and saw my savior: Pete with smoking revolver.

 _"On your feet, greenhorn."_ Pete grumbled as he pulled me to my feet, _"We've still got work to do."_

And he was right. No sooner than he could finish his sentence, the convicts were coming again. These had decided to abandon the good sense of cover, instead going for the straight silver. I knew that they'd close the distance before we'd get a shot off.

 _"Get out of our town!"_ Pete shouted as he wielded his weapon pistol whip style, _"Take them!"_

 _"OOORAA!"_ the townsfolk shouted, drawing their own weapons and we climbed over the wall. Then the groups clashed and a bloody melee enveloped. I soon became lost in the chaos, punching and stabbing anything that uniformed of blue. One was coming at me with a knife. I ducked, slashing my blade under his arm and then ending him with a swift finish to the back. I withdrew, just into to block another coming at me.

I brought it to a finish, racking him with my knee and knocking him down with a single powerful punch. Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind. I threw my elbow back, hitting him in his ribs, and then I grabbed him and threw him over my shoulder. He was on the floor, so I ensured him a welcome stay by kicking him viciously in the groin; then I drew the Browning and finished him off. More were coming and seconds were spent with the expense of bullets as I shot them down executioner style. Then I heard a roar over the hill and I saw more of them coming.

I knew that we were not going to last much longer from this melee, and I prepared for a fight to the last. However, just as they crossed the hill, the familiar silhouette of the machine appeared. The convicts were caught unawares. One second they just stood dumbfounded, the next there was the roar of twin machineguns. They stood no chance as the twin autos ripped into them with the hail of fire like the roar of an angry god bestowing vengeance. They crumpled and then the familiar shape of Victor came over the horizon and rolled into the fight.

Victor unleashed fury into those who came, cutting them down like wheat before a scythe. That turned the tide of the fight. The climax of the melee came down to the conflict between Ringo and Cobb. They came at each other, Cobb drawing his handgun upon the younger man. Yet, speed was on Ringo's side; he quickly felled him with a blow to the face and kicked away the blaster.

Cobb quickly retaliated with his blow, knocking him back and drawing a long blade. He swung; Ringo blocked him and smashed his forehead into Cobb and knocking him back. Ringo drew his own knife and slashed at Cobb; who blocked and took the offensive. Though Cobb may have been stronger, he couldn't match the younger mans speed, who evaded his slashes and stabs with practiced ease. Cobb came downward in an arc; Ringo side stepped and slashed at his exposed leg and arm, to which the black man backed off.

Cobb came at him again, but Ringo came first, stepping forward and impaling the blade into his chest.

 _"Tell Death when you meet her; she can kiss my ass!"_ Ringo hissed through his teeth and withdrew the fell back slowly, amid the corpses of his comrades. Truly that was that left of the Convicts: a field of corpses for the carrion birds to feast upon. For a solemn second: no one spoke. Then I took up the cry:

 _"VICTORY!"_

Then the cry was followed by the rest, who chanted in the phrase of victory. I looked about, and was surprised to see that only a few of us had fallen. Luck had truly been on our side. Then I saw the black smoke.

" _Cielos nos salvan..."_ Ringo whisper in shock as we all stared at the rising black smoke floating into the air. Chaos ensued as the crowd ran to save their homes.

 _"Get water an' put out them fires! Hurry, damn it or we'll lose the town!"_ Easy Pete roared out throughout the crowd. When we reached the town it was chaos, the flurry of folks running everywhere, fire spreading over rooftops and the rampage of the towns spooked cattle breaking through their imprisonments and into the destruction. I ran with all hast of a madman, with Ringo close behind. I ran and dodge in and out of the screaming panic until I reached the South Wall. My fears were all but confirmed, the South Wall had been blown apart and there were multiple bodies about, remains of the garrison here.

 _"Maddox!"_ A voice called out, and I turned. A wounded Rodriguez brother waddled up to me, his arm was bloody and filthy, even through the cloth that held it to his chest. He clasped an arm on my shoulder and spoke in a shaky voice that was trying to desperately hold back the roaring tides of panic:

 _"Esos bastardos locos, por todos los cielos…!"_

 _"What happened man?"_

 _"Those bastardos came at us from nowhere! The barricade was gone in not but un momento… I was knocked out, they were setting fires. Pero Gideon, they took the Doc and Sunny!"_

 _"Where!?"_

 _"I know not, senior! But I suspect up the road where that …!_

 _"Gideon!"_ A voice suddenly called from over my shoulder. I turned, and the world drifted into a muted silence as the world burned alight with a splendor horrifying to behold. The fire spread from place to place, woman and children screaming aloud as they fled in a great panic. The bighorners were tussling about, fleeing into a great stampede as their deep fear of the flames rose high in their hearts and in the skies. I could see Ringo screaming out at me, I could see him almost pleading with as he tried to shake me from my trance.

Then his face, the world about became blurred as times before roared through my scarred mind. Out rolling in grainy images, the flames were far and close about, the panic of screaming peoples running for their lives. The roar of battle and rout ringing in my ears, men in red and men in brown shooting and fighting each other in a pitted melee. Yet my mind focused on the thing approaching at a quickened pace, its form silhouetted in the shadows of the smoke. I squinted at it, suddenly conscious that I was peering through the visors of a face helmet.

Then out the smoke, its face appeared out the gray smoke like a specter rising from the shadows of night. My breath was held in my lungs as I stared at it in horror. It was gold in color, with the engraved like a god of war. It almost seemed to have hair, red flowing hair that sprouted from its top and cheeks. Then at those cheeks were rounded horns, like that of somekind of devil in flesh. However, the true horror came when one looked up and at the eyes, but yet could see only the dark hollows were they should have been.

Then the smoke cleared, and he step forth, clad in golden armor with the shroud of crimson wrapped about him. Then it spoke, in a deep and echoing voice of commanding terror:

 _"It shall be paid in blood."_

Then time slowed once more and the world about became shrouded in mist then into darkness. The world around me felt like enclosing box, slowly trapping me within its invisible barriers. Then something with a tremendous force knocked me off my feet, as though something had pushed me aside. In that spleen spiking pain, my eyes shot open and like that I was back.

 _"Gidddeoonnnnn"_ A voice rang out, sounding so faint I could hear it and then the edges of my eyes went gray, the interior was turning to mist. Before another word could be said, my eyes shut and my mind went blank.

* * *

I did not know how long I had been out, but the first thing I felt was the burning pain in my ribs, and the seeming shroud of darkness about me. It was not the total darkness I had felt in my troubled psyche, but rather like the cold embrace of night. I looked about and I found myself on a bed, ironically in Doc Mitchell's house. Oh god, Doc! Sunny!

As I started to rise, pain shout through my entire body, and my entire upper chest felt cold to the bone. I forced myself to rise and I sat on the bed, finding myself shirtless with more bandages wrapped around my middle. I looked about and I saw my gear lying on a chair. I stood up, burning pain rippling through my body, but I forced myself to the chair and start to dress. As my coat wrapped around my shoulders, I realized how much colder it was, remember it was now fast approaching the middle of October.

I donned my hat, and shouldered my bag. I then crept silently out of the door and into the nightshade of the town. The first thing I noticed was that the fire damage hadn't been all that bad, the only real damage had been to the thatch, wood and tiled roofs, some which now had large burn holes in them. I whispered a prayer of thanks to the Lord above and I moved down into the town. There seemed to be not a soul about, as though it had been deserted.

As I passed the Saloon, I heard a voice whisper and I turned, Colt in hand:

 _"Where do you think you're going, desconocido?"_

I activated my pip-boy light, and the perpetual green fade revealed a smirking Ringo. I sighed and replied in a light whisper:

 _"I think you know."_

 _"The Prison?"_

 _"Yeah. If the Convicts took Doc and Sunny, that's where they'll be."_

 _"Well then let's get going."_

 _"Ahh ahh."_ I said, stopping his movement with my arm, _"You're not coming."_

 _"And what will you do to stop us?"_ A deep guttural voice asked as Easy Pete stepped into the perpetual green fade, _"Face it laddie, we're coming with you."_

 _"'Sides, what you going to do with those empty guns, amigo? Throw them at the desperados?"_ Ringo asked with a deep chuckle followed by a widening grin. I looked down at the empty pistol in my hand. I felt embarrassed, as I hadn't even notice that the Colt hadn't any bullets. I looked up and caught a bag that Ringo had tossed me with my left hand and holstering the Colt with the other. I opened it and my heart gleamed with delight. Ringo grinned at me:

 _"Yep, got your favorites, .45 pistola colt automática we picked off those convicts you picked off, figure you deserved them."_

There was something else, long and dark colored. I pulled it out, and in the gloom, I admired its excellence. It was a Ruger Ranch Rifle, chambered to fire 5.56x45mm with an 18.5-inch barrel. It was beautifully crafted, with dark brown furniture, and the word _LOWLIGHT_ stenciled on the side in white, Army issue lettering. Bolted on the top was MagLite Night Scope with what I guessed 4.10x magnification. Pete then handed me a small bandolier of about six pouches, each filled with a pair of 5 rounder mags.

I looked up at the two vagabonds' I was about to take into battle, and I nodded my approval. Pete chuckled darkly, as he nodded in reply:

 _"Don't tell Chet we have it, he don't know that it's been missing fer a year from his 'impenetrable' locker."_

He started chuckling to himself, almost bursting into full on laughter.

 _"Whoa, settle down old man! Don't want you waking up the town before we head on out."_

That was when they both looked down in a depressing look. I looked above their heads, and realized were the town was; burying the dead.

 _"Alright, the Convicts who have Doc and Sunny will have retreated to the Prison. Someone mentioned that it's a good full day and a half from here. While the Convicts may have a head start, they'll be in a bigger group and they'll sleep nights."_ I then looked at both of them, my face set in a no-nonsense tone, _"We won't. We'll intercept them before they reach the prison."_

 _"What if they reach it first, amigo?"_ Ringo asked.

 _"Then we'll get them out anyway or die trying anyway."_ Pete answered, _"Still take some of the bastards down to hell with us."_

 _"Alright then,"_ I said shouldering the rifle and bag of ammo, and turning towards the road, _"We travel light and fast. Let's hunt some convicts."_

* * *

 **Translation**

 _Cielos nos salvan..._

Heavens save us...

 _Esos bastardos locos, por todos los cielos…!_

The crazy bastards, for God's sake...!

 _D_ _esconocido?_

Stranger?


	7. Chapter VI: Prison Blues

**Chapter VI:**

 **Prison Blues**

* * *

 **Mitchell**

* * *

I woke out of a nightmare only to wake to another one. My whole body ached like a sonovabitch, but especially my bandaged leg and the dried scalp at the top of my head. Doc was in even worse shape than me. He had tried to fight 'em off, even mange to gun one down, but they had clogged him and kept beating him. I had thrown myself at 'em, stabbed one, but I was easily overpowered.

I had accepted my fate then. They had even begun trying to rip my top off, but then a tall one-eyed man with a mohawk had stepped in and ordered 'em to stop. But I wish he hadn't, because then he started rubbing his crouch, and stared not only lustfully at me, but calculatingly. I looked across the campfire at the man now. He was probably gonna rape me and then torture me to his fuckin' delight. Well atleast Doc was still breathin'.

 _"Doc?"_ I whispered to my sleeping friend. He grunted, and rolled over to me. He had a bandage over his head, but his face was swollen and purple in several places. He sat up with a groan, and stared over to where the man was.

 _"Doc I…"_ I began.

 _"You've gotta escape, Sunny."_ Doc interrupted through a mouth of broken teeth.

 _"No Doc! I won't leave you here to these fuckin' animals."_ I whispered back to him, holding his hand in both of mine. He shook his head:

 _"No girl, you've gotta get out of here. I don't care what the bastards do to me, but you…"_

He began to sob, so I brought his crying head to my shoulder, my red hair strolling about him.

 _"I'm sorry, Sunny."_ He said through tears, _"I failed you, like I failed my wife."_

 _"Shhh, it's okay."_ I said as tears of my own began to build and fall like a river, _"This night ain't over yet…"_

I looked up at the dark night sky, which seemed to be as sad as I.

 _"Not over yet."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

We didn't really have any real way to track the bastards, as the night's winds had blown the sand over where they were running, but somehow I had an idea where they were moving. The Pip-boys had constant tracking maps of the area, showing where I was in the world and where the prison was; which read as _Jean Conservancy_. Yet there was something familiar about this place like I had been here before… I brushed the thought aside. I didn't need another memory trip, which would leave me a liability, and we would lose time.

I had set the Prison's location on the map, and a dotted line spread from our ever moving position to show a trail to get to the prison. My hope was if we could get to the Prison first; we could intercept the bastards before they got within their fortress. I looked over my shoulder at my companions, and although the journey was hard on their endurance, they didn't complain. We didn't have time to rest.

We kept on moving through the night, the wind kicking up great gusts of sand that was trying to get at our eyes and mouth. I had put up my scarf to keep my breathing steady, but there was nothing I could do for my eyes. I shrugged off the pain and I kept up the pace, the rest falling suit. We had been forced to stop a few hours later, the wind had just gotten too fierce and great sandstorms had taken up to stop our advance. We could've moved through it, but we would've gotten lost in the storm.

So we had stopped at a shallow cave at the base of the mountains. Fortunately, we had managed to cover half the distance to the prison, and once it lifted we would be on the move again. Once more, I went through the mental process of checking each of my weapons, loading and reloading them. I unwrapped Lowlight from its cloth cover, shaking off the lose sand from it holds and manually checked it for any damages. I looked across the cave at the other two, noticing them doing the same…

* * *

" _This should be a good spot."_ I said over to my companions, motioning my hands over to the ledge. The winds hadn't stopped until it three prior dawn, but we had been able to make up for lost time by jogging the rest of the distance. About an hour back we found a path into the mountains that had brought us literally ontop of the Prison. As the sun was beginning its horizon bound descent, I peered out at the facility. It kind of looked like a topless cage, with chainlinked fences connecting into a long hexagon, a tower on each corner and about a half dozen buildings on the inside.

I crouched on the perch, peering down into the grounds with the scope. I counted a force of about a dozen down in the grounds, one in every tower. While this wasn't a particularly large force, I had no doubt there were more inside the buildings. Easy Pete moved up to me, pointing with his arm:

 _"Where do ye think they'd keep prisoners?"_

 _"There."_ I replied, _"You see that two store building."_

 _"Yep. What is it?"_

 _"It's probably the wardens office, the rest are either barracks or cell blocks. The one by the entrance is probably the visitors center. But if you need a place big enough to hold people and away from anybody else…"_ I continued trailing off at the end.

 _"Okay then. If need be how are we gonna get in?"_

 _"Through the front. We'd need a diversion, draw them away. Then two could go in, one up here to cover and observe."_

 _"Well that sounds like a plan…"_

 _"Hey, Amigos!"_ Ringo called from down the hill, _"Down there; where the trail leads off!"_

I swung the rifle out to where Ringo was pointing and I saw them. There were eight in total and I could see Sunny trying to help Doc walk over the rough terrain. I growled in anger as I saw Doc's injuries. I handed the rifle over to Pete and he too scolded in anger at them; perhaps even more so.

 _"Bueno Mierda! Now what are going to do!?"_ Ringo, cursed under his breath.

 _"We wait."_ I said calmly. I turned and they both gave me the _'what the hell for?'_ look.

 _"We can't get at them without bringing the full force of the prison down on our heads. We wait, see which building they'll go into and then get them out."_

A few minutes passed, and the sun was quickly going behind the dotted horizon, all the better. My guess was right, they were taking Sunny and Doc into the Wardens Building and I noticed something else, there was structural damage to one of the towers, and the lookout was fast asleep. I turned to Pete and Ringo:

 _"Alright here's the plan…"_

* * *

Ten minutes passed and it was dark out. I checked the Pip-boy internal clock, and it read _10/23/81+4:54._ It was getting darker sooner, and even colder for that matter. Strom season was soon to be coming. Pete came running to my side, a wide grin on his face:

 _"Got it set up. Three sets of 'splosives, two of 'em on the legs and one fer a surprise."_

 _"Good, you got detonator?"_

 _"Yeah, the ones connected to the legs are primed. The extra is on a timer, should 'splode in about 5minutes."_

 _"Good."_ I replied, nodding my approval. Then Pete was down the hill in heartbeat, going over to join Ringo who was already in position. I breathed in deeply, and got into a prone firing position. I put the scope to my eye, the night vision already adjusting to its nocturnal green hue. I ran the scope up and down the prison.

There seemed to be more of the Convicts out, maybe another half-dozen down there in the grounds. Another minute passed and a good number of them seemed to be huddling over by the soon-to-be-demolished tower. Two more minutes passed, but every ticking second seemed to expand into minutes. Finally, a large group had huddled over by the tower, so I took my chance. I reach over to the detonator and pressed the firing button.

A split second later there was a thundering explosion as they ripped the legs from under the tower and sent it falling inward into the grounds. There was loud shout of surprise and then the big group ran towards the tower. My mind suddenly began to feel strange as slowly the dark and dreary night of the prison was replaced, night turning to day, the grounds below me turning bright as a lantern. I closed my eyes, time almost stopping into a standstill and the world about felt it had been replaced. Then when I opened my eyes, I was absorbed by the blaring fire of an explosion and reality slipped into memory, as well as my own consciousness.

 _"Now that was an explosion!"_ roared a heavy, almost bellowing voice to my left. I turned my eye to the speaker, revealing a young man in his early twenties, with a shaved scalp of red hair and a heavily freckled face. His face, his voice and sight all look so familiar, but I couldn't place him. I rolled my eye over him; the heavy built Kevlar armor set under a long brown coat and tan fatigues. Set upon his shoulder was a brown flag with a golden star set in the middle, the very same arm grasping a Chinese made Type 81 RPK, with a heavy-set 3.85xscope and bipod attached. It was then that I noticed the row of ammo pouches, each holding a banana shaped 40 round magazines.

 _"Please, Roy!"_ Another voice, feminine but with a slight bass to it called out, _"José's explosions are far more impressive, no offense meant though, Gid."_

I looked over at the speaker: she was also in early twenties, with short cropped dark hair, dark brown and shallow completions about her somewhat heavy build. She wore a similar uniform to Roy's: hers wasn't as faded, however. But on her shoulder was the same brown flag with the golden star set in the middle. She also carried a long barreled scoped Remington Hunting Rifle, though slung under her arm was an MP5/10 SMG.

 _"Yeah, you'd best Lo siento, Millie. Gideon's the best damn shot we've got in this miserable unit, ain't ya buddy!"_

 _"Alright you maggots,"_ a voice suddenly crackled in my ear, " _we've got those Crimson bastards running to go douse that fire. Start picking 'em off, boys and girls!"_

It was then that I realized that I was wearing a full face helmet, and quite out of nowhere I spoke a single word: _engage._ Then my body began working like a preset motor. I got into position, aimed down the scope, observing the two dozen targets down below. The prison had been replace with what appeared to a be a field operating base; the soldiery below wearing crimson colored uniforms with a roman style metal chest plate and black face masks.

I breathed in deeply, sighted a target and fired. As the target's mid-section exploded, I re-sighted and continued firing. Picking them of was a relatively easy task. From my vantage point I could see the entirety of the area, no cover was unseen from me and no legionnaire protected from my aim. After emptying my five rounds into the water crews surrounding the burning guard tower, I reloaded as the surviving troops retreated into the main building, a few going into the tents covering the ground.

 _"They're rabbeting! Move in and engage them! Move it you worthless maggots!"_ The voice boomed in my ear again.

 _"Charge!"_ I roared out of nowhere, the vocal systems in the helmet amplifying my voice to my squadmates. As we sprinted down the hill; an echoing cry roared out in the valley as to either side of me was a tide of brown and tan uniformed soldiers. As we made our way down the hill and toward the entrance; I noted the many bayonets and long war blades at the ready for the kill. I turned the corner and was surprised to find a slain legionnaire, with a large bullet wound… wait why was this one wearing a blue jumpsuit? Why was it suddenly getting darker?

 _"Run!"_ A voice rang out from inside, followed by a gunshot; a .357 magnum by my guess. I raised Lowlight to my shoulder and I advanced inside through an ever changing entrance. One moment it had been a mesh wire door leading out into the grounds, then everything turned dark as night. A heavyset metal door lay ajar, a foot sticking out through the exposed crack. I moved slowly, keeping the rifle at 75 degrees and panning the door in front.

Satisfied, I launched a kick at the door and it went swinging wide. I then moved in, sweeping left and right, the room illuminated by a flickering overhead light. All about me laid a scene of chaos, with multiple bodies lying about the strewed mess of clattered furniture. They all wore the distinctive blue jumpsuits of the convicts, and each one had one or two bullet holes in them, either the large .357 magnum or the rather nimble 9mm. I hugged the large receptions desk and moved my way through the room.

I then came across a long hallway; probably leading out into the grounds. I moved close to the right hand wall and began moving forward. There was a series of doors on the other wall and I knew I was going to have to check each of them for hostiles. However before I could do this, a bluecoated man suddenly stepped out of one of the rooms, his back to me.

 _"Don't move."_ I hissed at him and the man froze, his hands went up into the air. He then slowly turned, revealing a heavily bearded man with an equally heavy tanned tone. He had high protruding cheekbones, but these seemed rather shallow, as though man hadn't eaten anything for a while. However, this didn't drown out the intensity of his glare as his eyes bore into my one.

 _"I'm not one of them,"_ He finally said; his voice rough and hoarse from perceived lack of water. Then something moved behind him and a rather familiar white bearded man appeared.

 _"Easy, Gideon,"_ Pete said as he cross the distance between me and the man in front of me, and pushed the barrel away from his torso, _"He ain't with these bastards."_

 _"Then why is he wearing a blue coat?"_ I asked, struggling to keep my voice calm.

 _"I am a residence of this place, but had I had it my way,"_ The man in front of me replied, taking a step closer, _"I would have had these dogs killed a long time ago."_

 _"Hey there you are, Gideon!"_ Another voice, Ringo's, called out from the same room everybody seemed to be coming out from, _"I see you've met our amigo here, Meyers."_

 _"Amigo?"_ I asked.

 _"When we stormed in here, Meyers took up arms and practically blasted half of 'em you see behind ye,"_ Pete explained. I sighed and lowered the rifle to the floor. Meyers stepped closer:

 _"Figured you're here for the two they dragged in here, that so?"_

I nodded. Meyers continued:

 _"I'm in here 'cause the NCR didn't take to me taking the duty of Sheriff seriously. I'm not one of these animals…"_ He paused, stooping over and collecting an old, dark desperado cattle hat, centering it on his crown, _"I think they're punishment is long overdue."_

 _"You've convinced me."_ I replied, brushing past them and approaching the door, _"Now's the time to put your money where your mouth is."_

He nodded, and they all pulled their respective weapons out into a ready position, filing in behind me.I readied myself, and then I proceeded to kick down the door. The force knocked it off its hinges and sent it into the grounds. I stepped forward, rifle raised and peered about the destruction. The tower lay on the floor, but the entirety of the placed was highlighted by the glow of rising flames.

I could hear everybody behind me filing out to all sides of me, guns raised and advancing. As I moved forward, I could see the uncountable number of bodies that lay about, but out of the corner of my eye I knew more where coming. Figures began running out of the other three buildings, and I could tell they were wearing blue. I raised my rifle and fired. The target in front was dropped to the floor, the rest getting the hint to go to cover.

 _"Gentlemen, prepare to defend yerselves!"_ Pete shouted aloud. Now an exchange of fire occurred, as both sides began blasting the other. I dived to the ground as bullets whizzed past my head and into the background behind me. I crawled my way forward until I had a good view of things and then I brought the rifle up to my shoulder. I clicked the switch on the scope and before me the entity of the prison was bathed in green fade, with moving burning shapes of green confirming my targets.

I slowed my breathing, blocking out all the noises of gunfire, shouting and pain, locking onto a target and depressing the trigger. A second later the figure top section expanded upwards and then fell, leaving behind a mess of glowing white on the wall behind him. I switched targets and continued firing at anything that wasn't friendly.

 _"Moving! Cover!"_ Meyers shouted aloud. He rolled from his shack of fallen metal and dived towards another. More figures came running from one of the cell blocks and proceeded to pin down Meyers' position with withering automatic fire. Meyers began firing blind over his head, but had to pull his hand down as the suppressive fire became more accurate. I switched positions and put down one of the convicts who had exposed himself trying to flank Meyers.

Then I heard a flick and I looked over to where Pete was standing. He had a lighter in his hands, and then there was a spark and sound of burning fuse.

 _"HEADS DOWN!"_ He shouted and the stick went flying into the cold, damp darkness…

* * *

 **Mitchell**

* * *

The slap was audible this time, and I could hear Sunny whimper as he at her came again. I writhed in my bounds, trying desperately to loosen the tight ropes securing my arms to the upright operating table. I looked over to where the bastard had her tied to a similar predicament. She was topless, her bare breast showing with dozens of tiny, deliberate and blooded cuts and bruises lining from her face down to her nude chest. The one eyed bastard grinned maliciously, and raised his hand to strike at her again.

 _"Leave her be, you son of a gaudy whore!"_ I growled at him. He turned his head towards me, and smiled a crooked, evil expression. He reached over to a medical drawer and pulled out what looked like some kind of electronic remote.

 _"Shut up all man. I'll get to you soon,"_ He responded, and then he pressed the button on the remote. Asplit-second later, I felt a burning pain of enormous proportions as volts of electric shock shot through my entire body. My body arched upward and I let out an unearthly scream. Sunny cried out at my pain, and the bald man cackled in satisfaction.

 _"Don't worry, little girl,"_ He said, moving his hand to begin caressing and touching in all of the sensitive areas, _"I will not kill him or you. At least, not until I've had my way with you."_

As the shock waves ebbed away from my age stricken body, Sunny spat at him straight in the face. He turned away, and smiled at me:

 _"She has spirit. Good. This'll be more fun,."_ Then he turned, and I recoiled as he struck her with an audible crack. Anger and desperation rolled out of their long buried prisons as I struggled to break free and destroy this demon-spawn:

 _"You fuckin' coward!"_ I roared with the sound of an enraged mutant bobcat, _"Havin' fun hurtin' a tied up girl?! You fuckin' psychotic piece of rolling- "_

Then my voice was cut off as more electric current rolled through my skin and began to tear away at my already brittle body. Despite the pain, I roared again:

 _"Free… me… and face… me! See… who gahh is…!"_

Finally the currents stopped and I locked my pain exhausted eyes on the man. He smiled:

 _"I might…"_

Suddenly, his voice was cut off as the air was filled with a loud boom, and the ground began to shake a little. Seconds later, the audible din of screams and gunfire echoed into the halls. The one-eyed man then ran over to an intercom and spoke into it. All he got were loud and death stricken screams. A minute passed, and suddenly there was another explosion and then another, and then a final one that sounded just outside the building.

Then a din of explosions and gunfire echoed throughout the building. My eyes locked on the cell door, and then suddenly a body crumpled into the doorway. The one-eyed man jumped over to the surgical table at the back of the room, removing and brandishing a 9mm pistol:

 _"Come in here and I'll…"_

Then out of thin air, a blur of brown rolled forward and a flash appeared out from its front. A howl echoed from the back wall as the bald man lay crumpled on the ground, shards of metal impeded in his chubby hands. I turned back, and in the back of my mind, I thank him for answering my prayers. One Gideon Maddox stepped forward through the doorway into the room; followed by my old and venerable friend Easy Pete and that cocky son of a bitch Ringo. Pete stepped over to me and patted a hand on my still aching shoulder:

 _"Ah whats the matter, doc…?"_ He said with a crooked grin, _"We interrupt yer party? Why, was there any women 'bout that I don't know 'bout?"_

 _"You perverted old bastard!"_ I chuckled back, pain filling my chest and causing me to cough violently. Pete then began to unstrap my bonds:

 _"Let's get ye back to town, 'fore you cough yerself to death."_

 _"When did you become a doctor?"_

 _"Just now."_

As he supported me, I looked over to where Gideon was. He had wrapped the clothed torn Sunny in his massive coat, and was supporting her. She tucked her head onto his chest and began to sob. He wrapped her head in his arms, comforting her as he kissed the top of her swollen hairline. Then came a groan from the backroom, and we all turned to face the condemned man.

Then I saw Gideon's' eye light up with a wrath of pure malice, a look that made me shutter in my bones.

 _"Take her."_ He said, as he handed her over to Ringo, _"Leave."_

As we left the room, I looked over my shoulder and saw Gideon slowly approach the kneeling man, who was clutching his bloodied slump of a hand. In the back of my mind; I felt sorry for the man, for what was about to happen to him. Yet, then again, it didn't matter…

* * *

 **Easy Pete**

* * *

" _Here, there you go I've got you, jovenito,"_ Ringo replied from across the yard, who was beckoning to seat a young scrawny little girl and her younger brother. As it had turned out; the convicts had another seven prisoners housed here, apparently survivors from a convoy of folks who had lured by the false promise of the city of light. I sighed, instinctively running my hand over my bag of 'plosives. Every year, there were more and more of these young idiots. There were no kinder words for 'em. They were no doubt from California; coming here to find a better life outside the Republic, never realizing that they were headin' fer something far worse.

I ran my eyes around the prison yard, noting every detail of every folk still breathin'. Ringo was comforting the children, Sunny and Doc sitting close to each other to my left. Then, I noticed a family of three walkin' 'cross the yard, then another two male teens huggin' a fence, and then… him. Meyers was standing in the shadows, arms crossed and slumped against a wall. My eyes began instinctively mentally watchin' his every movement, even his breathes.

I knew a snake when I saw one just as easy as breathin', a good man even easier. Yet he was neither. No, maybe that was the wrong word: he was a good man, but it seemed he was hidin' from his past. I could see the light of a lawman in his eyes, but they were dimmed by darkness and it certainly wasn't old age. Fer that reason, he was keepin' to himself and his hand close to his revolver.

Then there was an audible crash, and I swung my gaze over to the Admin Building. I grimaced as Gideon strolled out purposely, noticing the sight of foreign blood over his face and hands. I didn't want or need to know what Gideon had done to that 'man' in the buildin'. Whatever he had done was done, and I'd rather it stayed that way. Then began walkin' over where I was standing and he spoke:

 _"Pete."_

 _"Yeah, Gid?"_

 _"How many explosives you got?"_

 _"'Bout a couple dozen sticks of dynamite, and some C-4 I got from this here armory…"_

 _"Good,"_ Then he beckoned for Meyers:

 _"This placed got any power or gas lines under or in this place."_

 _"Uh, yeah I think there's a cluster that goes into each of the buildings…"_

 _"Gideon?"_ I asked.

 _"Yeah Pete?"_ He replied; his face and manner no nonsense like.

 _"Why'd you…"_ Then I realized why and what we were doing. I actually grinned at the thought. Gideon nodded and grinned too.

 _"We're blowing this place skyhigh and to kingdom come."_

* * *

I wrapped the last of the Det-Cord round the copper gas line, placing a single pound of the C-4 at its head. Then I checked the last of 'sploives in their places around the facility. I grinned mischievously at my handiwork. I knew that this was going to be one very big explosion. Then I looked and saw Meyers making his way east, away from where Gideon and the rest were.

I sighed deeply and shook my head.

 _"Not surprising…"_

* * *

 **Mitchell**

* * *

" _Alright is everyone cleared?"_ Gideon asked turning and mentally counting everyone about. I coughed heavily as pain began creeping through my body and up around my achin' bones. Ringo and Sunny held me steady, bracing me as I practically began coughing my guts out. Then I looked up and saw Gideon turned away, facing the prison a mile down the road with a detonator clutched in his hand. Then he pushed open the safety catch and pressed the arming button.

Then there was loud beep, and followed by a massive orange explosion that shook the ground. It bellowed into the night, illuminating the land into a second, early sunrise with its awesome power. Then it was quickly followed by another ball of fire and then another. At last, seconds ticked by in relative silence, as we all gazed in wonder at the now devaluated fire began burning away at the buildings about, engulfing the air in a burning heat that touched my forehead with the faintest of warmth. Then suddenly there was final explosion that made us all jump with shock, with Ringo coming close to dropping his hold on me and sending me crashing into Sunny. I straightened myself, and I turned my gaze to a grinning Gideon and Pete, who shook hands heartily.

 _"Now that was an explosion, jefe!"_ Ringo chuckled under his breath. I nodded in reply turning my gaze away from the burning spectacle less than a mile down the road. Gideon turned began walking out of the trail, his back turned to the rising flame and smoke. We all soon followed.

 _"Let's go home..."_


	8. Chapter VII: Parting of Ways

**Chapter VII:**

 **Parting of Ways**

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

I could already feel my anger risin', like some kinda bubblin' caldron. I could also tell because my cheeks felt like they're fuckin' burning up like a Rad Blast from a damn Glowing One! For that reason, I couldn't really blame the trooper standin' in my way tryna stop me from stormin' on in. But that sure as hell wasn't going to stop me!

 _"Ya tell Jackson ta get his sorry ass out here or I swear…!"_

 _"Ma'am, for the last time, Ranger Jackson cannot see you, now-"_

With that I delivered a sharp knee into his groin with a resoundin' smack. He waddled back, gaspin' in gulps and clutching his jewels. Shit, I hadn't meant ta slam him so hard, but nothing more to it. I shoved, and he fell onto the floor. I stepped over him; my boots crunching hard on some crumbled something. That did it.

Suddenly, a green beret clad officer or what-not appeared on my right, backed by some goddamn Mary Poppins's!

 _"Ms. Cassidy, if you don't stop, I'll-"_

I didn't let him finish, I came and gave him the boot to the leg, where I knew the nerve was. His face went white, but 'fore he could fall I kicked him in ta the MP's. They toppled back like dominoes, and I leapt over him and over the front desk, gallopin' for the door! Another trooper appeared, but I saw him coming from a long way off. As he swung, I dodged left; kicking him in the back and faceplanting him ta the wall.

Two more shit-bags appeared on either side of the hallway, but I was close enough to where I wanted ta go. As they rushed forward, I rolled and dived into the open doorway. I turned and kicked the door shut, then locking it in place. I sighed, removing my stained hat, and brushin' way hair from my eyes.

 _"Ms. Cassidy… I…"_ gasped a voice from the office desk across from me. I snarled, saddled my hat and in a second was across the room. The Ranger was cowering in the corner, but that sure shit ain't gonna be 'nough! I grabbed the lapels of his burlack brown colored jacket, arched my back and tossed him over the desk and into a metal cabinet. I then popped him in the nose, keepin' him where he was. He was totally cowed, and I needed him ta stay that way.

Suddenly, there was heavy banging on the office door, and I knew I only had seconds on the clock. I loomed over the fallen Ranger. I then reached down and grabbed the left whiskers on his fuckin' stupid Chopper mustache. He cringed in pain, and gripped my arm with both hands. It wouldn't help, I was too fuckin' pissed ta let go, no matter what he did!

 _"Now, unless you want me ta rip this piss-poor excuse for hair off, you're gonna tell me what happened to my-"_

Suddenly, there was a loud crash to my left as the door was caved in by a fucking enormous hunk of a man! A few seconds later, I had four Service Rifles trained on me. Shit luck fer them, I had already taken the liberty of positioning Jackson between us. If they wanted me, they'd have to shoot through him first. Obviously, tense moment followed, as we waited ta see what the other was gonna do.

 _"Sir?"_ a Trooper asked, looking to Jackson fer orders, _"Should we…"_

 _"Out,"_ Jackson suddenly bellowed.

 _"But Sir-"_

 _"You heard me, Trooper. Out, I will deal with this."_

With that the Troopers filed out of the room, one after the other. After they left, I released him. He waddled over to his desk, massaging his nose. He narrowed his eyes at me and spoke:

 _"If ya had let me speak for about two seconds, I'd told you what you wanted to know."_

I grinned slightly, slamming my fist into my hand:

 _"I just couldn't resist the temptation ta punch you, Jackson."_

He sighed, and reached behind his back. I tensed fer a moment, but then relaxed as it was just an envelope.

 _"That sort of stuff can get you shot…"_ He mumbled as he handed me the folder. I accepted it gleefully, but when I opened it, my heart burst. My eyes went wide as I looked at the images, my breathing stopped as my eyes rolled over the report. Now, more than fuckin' ever, I felt a hollowness I was all too familiar with. I could feel tears rolling down the side of my cheeks, my chest heaving in and out like I was feelin' mountains of pain creepin' through my bones.

 _"Ms. Cassidy, I-"Jackson_ started to say, but I was gone. I shoved the envelope into his arms, and I ran out of the building. I could feel myself rollin' away, a feeling I had not felt sense my mom died. Just like that little girl, I found myself huddled in a corner, sobbing into my hands…

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

It was night, and the air was cold. Although it had not snowed for over two centuries, I felt it would've been fitting. I wrapped the rest of the scarf around my neck and face, the wind howling around all about me. It was dark as pitch, the stars and moon tucked in sheets of clouds. The only light for me was bobbing green hue that dance and colored the road around me, blending with the memories hours past.

The first had been with Ringo, who was sitting next to me at the bar:

 _"I owe you big time, amigo. So here, this is what I have now."_

 _"Ringo you don't need to pay me."_

 _"'Course I do. Mama would smack me if I didn't. But when you can, look me up at our camp at McCarran; I'll pay the rest then."_

Then there'd been Trudy:

 _"I got a special discount for you when you decide to come back. And you can keep the room key if you want to."_

 _"Thanks. But I might not be coming back here. At least… not for a while."_

 _"Don't worry about it. The town'll still be here, thanks to you."_

And as I was leaving:

 _"Had more fun than in years, greenhorn. Might miss it. Well good luck to you on the road, Maddox."_

 _"You too, Pete. And try not to blow up anything else while I'm gone."_

 _"No promises. And the man you're hunting? Whatever ye do when you do it:_ _don't trust him._ _Man got eyes colder than a snake."_

 _"He won't get the chance."_

 _"Good."_

And still in infirmary, wrapped under heavy blankets for a forth night:

 _"You don't have to go, you know that?"_

 _"I know, Sunny. But… I have to leave. I've done what I can here, and I need to find answers."_

 _"Primm?"_

 _"And probably the Outpost."_

 _"Gideon, there someone there who you might need… or she might need you."_

 _"Who is she?"_

 _"You'll know her when you see her. And Gideon?"_

 _"Sunny?"_

 _"You'll always have a place here. Don't ever forget that."_

 _"I won't. Not ever."_

I kissed her softly on the cheek, and made my way to the door:

 _"Leaving so soon?"_

Mitchell beckoned me over from his chair, which was so overlade with pillows and comforters it might've burst.

 _"I got somebody to catch up with, Doc."_

 _"Well, I can't argue with that. Just remember what I said to you earlier."_

 _"Don't worry, he won't get the chance… again."_

 _"Watch your back out there. And Gideon: be carefully with your memory. You may not like what you find."_

Part of me wanted to look back, back at the town that had given me back my life, my reason to live, but I shook my head. There was no reason for me to. I had already said my goodbyes and slipped out of town. I didn't need to make the pain any worse. I checked the straps on my bag, the Browning and Colt, my leather gloves, and the knife on my boot, the rifle on my back. I then felt something bump into my side, and I reached into my jacket and pulled it out.

I stared at it as I kept walking. I felt it's well honed leather cover, the gleaming metal in darkness. I ran my finger over the sewed number, a yellow thirteen.

 _"But here you should have this. I've had fer years, used to carry it around in my younger days. Got it from a junk sale back out west, though I think it came from a vault. Not much use for me, but it's always brought good luck fer me, well… most of the time. Goodbye, my friend."_

 _"Goodbye, Doc. and Doc?"_

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"Your wife would've been proud of you. Don't ever forget that."_

 _"Goodbye, Gideon."_

Doc's words rolled again in my mind, the look of acceptance in his eyes. Acceptance that this was the last time he would be seeing me. Pete, Sunny, all of 'em, I wish…

I shook my head and just kept on walking.

 _"Not now. Not for a while…"_

* * *

I actually made good time that night. I trek for miles on end down the I-15, the sounds of night playing all around. Finally, the rays of dawn lit up the night. I sat in a secluded spot, unfolding my bag and removing a can. I opened it up with my knife, downing the soup like a burning shot of whisky. I wasn't at all bothered by its cold touch. I then removed a pear and an apple from the bag and munched on those as well.

All in all though, I was tired. I hadn't slept for a while, so at last I indulged in its pleasure, waking about mid day to the sound of Big Iron playing on a loop. I smiled slightly, humming the tune as I rolled up my gear and headed back onto the road. Although the sound only lasted a good few minutes, I guessed the station had goofed a bit as it played twice more. I didn't mind though, I had grown up with that song.

I walked on for hours (well more likely just one), listing to the Pip-Boy radio booming out ruse, news and blues. Then from the distance, I saw it; a large roller coaster sticking out like a sore in the land, buildings rolling about around it. Primm. Then something else caught my eye. I reached around and pulled up my rifle, adjusting the scope.

A flag, with a white banner and a double headed bear standing on a red line across the garrison, was bobbling with the wind. I sighed and shook my head. No matter how far east you went, you'd end up running into these guys, one way or another. I shook my head once more, shouldering my rifle, and began marching down the hill. As I grew closer and closer with the town, I knew that the garrison here would no doubt give me their typical bullshit.

Sure enough, as I came within thirty feet of a make shift guardhouse, I spotted movement inside. My first instinct was to go for the rifle on my back, but somehow I knew better. At the first sign of trouble; these guys would cut you down with 5.56 automatic fire, no questions asked. So I started walking towards it cautiously. Eventually, a rough voice barked from inside the shack:

 _"Halt. Identify yourself or I will open fire!"_

I knew he wasn't kidding. This wasn't the time for witty back talk:

 _"Just a simple courier, Trooper,"_ I replied, calmly, _"I'm just here to complete a contract."_

Finally, the trooper stepped out of the shack. I looked him up and down, noting the one chevron on his left arm and the Fifth Battalion patch just underneath that. Overall he was wearing fairly standard equipment for an NCR Trooper. He wore rather loose brown fatigues and pants, a metal chestplate with NCR stenciled on it, sand goggles and a wide brimmed tan helmet. I then moved my gazed down to the rifle in his hands.

It was a Service Rifle, a wooden knock off of the old Stoner ArmaLite Rifle line back before the Great War. I remembered it had been replaced by the R-91, an American version of the German made G-3, back in 2056 by the old army; but nonetheless they were a good weapon line. Obviously, they were still well respected as the NCR had hired the Gun Runners to recreate the series for them. There was one major difference between the two weapons: the old ArmaLite's had the charging handle behind the sights which slides out along the top of the stock, while the Service Rifle's was close to where the ejector port was.

I then moved my eye's back up to his, and noticed he was looking me up and down too. Then his eyes moved to rifle on my back, and I could swear he was trying to find a bulge in my coat, indicating a hidden pistol. Granted he wouldn't find one or two easily. Finally he went back up to my face, and spoke, no nonsense like:

 _"A little too well armed for a courier, don't ya think?"_

I sighed and I lifted my left arm up and I rolled down the sleeve. He gazed at my pale, clean skin, not seeing what he was looking for. I then rolled my sleeve down again, and I reached into my back pocket, which he tensed and brought his rifle to chest level.

 _"Easy, I'm not Legion,"_ I said reassuringly, " _You've already seen that I don't bear their mark on my arm. I'm just reaching for my courier identification."_

He relaxed and I pulled out the book and handed it to him. He read it over and then handed it back to me. With that he then shouldered his rifle.

 _"Alright, Lance-Corporal,"_ I began, addressing him by his rank, which caused him to straighten even more, _"What's going on and why are you so trigger happy?"_

 _"I apologize sir, but we've ran into a bit of a problem. A couple of weeks back, there a prison break out at the NCRCF…"_

 _"I know, Trooper. I just came from an engagement with them up at Goodsprings."_

 _"Goodsprings, eh? Well, the problem is that a force of convicts rolled through here and took the town."_

 _"How big a force?"_

 _"Unknown. Our best guess is somewhere around three dozen, but there's probably more."_

 _"What about the townsfolk?"_

 _"From accounts of few who got out, most are still hiding somewhere in town."_

I nodded my head and spoke again:

 _"Alright then. Trooper, I want you to take me to your commanding officer."_

He hesitated, and I smiled reassuringly:

" _It's alright trooper. You've already stop me, and I'm sure you've informed the camp that I'm here."_

He sighed and started walking past the guardhouse:

 _"Follow me then, sir."_

Quickly, I picked up the pace and started following him into camp. As I suspected, there were three other Troopers hiding in the ruins next to the guard shack. As we walked pass, they quickly formed a rear guard, no doubt to make sure I didn't try to bolt. As I glanced over my shoulder, I could see them staring slack face at me, their rifles never trailing far from my silhouette. One wrong move, I knew, and they would rip me to pieces.

We advanced further into the 'camp'. In truth, it was just a huddle of ruined buildings with about half a dozen tents strewed around. Overall, there were about a maybe just a dozen, maybe just a little more, Troopers located here. As I looked them all up and down as I passed them, I could tell a good many of them were green. Rookies and the like.

I grumbled something incomprehensible to myself. This was how desperate the NCR was at this point. Every day, the Republic just got a little bigger, going further and further in every direction. They always claimed that they were 'spreading the good word of the Republic to those who need it'. Even if that wasn't the biggest crock of crap that I've heard in my life time, it wasn't a good enough reason to save them.

In other words: too many miles of sand in every direction for them to man, control and tax. In addition, their efforts to 'tame' the land only often make things worse. They keep rolling over people, taking away their land by force. That is often the cause of so many raider and bandit groups in this godforsaken desert. For these reasons, I knew that even if the Republic was able to take this land; the cost would be the final nail in their coffin.

I shook it off. This was not the time for my rather negative points of view. Especially considering these guys are probably the most trigger happy people in this neck of the desert. Finally we came across two of the tents and I could somehow tell that the one on the left was a command tent. I don't know, maybe because it was cleaner than the rest? The Lance-Corporal then turned his head and spoke:

 _"Sir, the Lieutenant is inside. He's already been made aware of your arrival."_

 _"Thank you Trooper."_

With that I stepped forward and entered the tent. When flap fell back in place behind me, the first thing that struck me how stuffy the air was. The second was the near unbearable seamed heat in this burlap oven. The third was the officer in front of me. Under most circumstances, most NCR officers that I've met were more often than naught just as young and green as the new recruits.

Not this one. Right down from the ragged expression of weariness to the look of frustration in his eyes, I could tell he was one of the old breed: the ones who were at Hoover Dam; the ones who had seen the work of the Legion first hand. That was some good news. That meant he was already aware of the total bureaucracy that was the Army, and would be willing to do what would be necessary… when given the right push.

 _"I'm Lieutenant Hayes, 5_ _th_ _Infantry battalion, 1_ _st_ _company, New California Republic Army."_ He said, as if rehearsed over a long period, and held out his hand. I took his hand and shook it firmly:

 _"Gideon Maddox, just a humble out-of-luck courier."_

He smiled slightly, another sign of a veteran; he actually had a sense of humor.

 _"What's your business Mr. Maddox?"_

 _"Courier contract. I'm currently employed with the Mojave Express."_

 _"Then I see why you're out of luck then, Mr. Maddox."_

 _"What's going on in Primm, Lieutenant?"_

 _"One of the Soldiers outside told me you had a run in with the 'Powder Gangers' up north in Goodsprings. Well that's what we're facing here."_

 _"Your standing orders?"_

That was he creased his eyes and sighed despairingly:

 _"We were sent here to hold back the tide of convicts who've taken over the town. The problem is that the opposition is far better armed and organized than what we were told. Even worse, most of my best men were replaced by these kids who can barely shoot straight, let alone fight. Now things have turned into a waiting game. Even worse, they've told us not to go into the town no matter the circumstances."_

I shook my head. This was why the NCR was now in a deteriorating deadlock with everything out here. An over stretched supply infrastructure and an incompetent command structure. I turned my gaze back to the lieutenant and spoke, determined:

 _"I'm going in to Primm tonight."_

The lieutenant gazed at me, a little bit surprised:

 _"I can't let you go in there."_

 _"Can't or won't."_

 _"Both. Look, I have my orders…"_

With that, I threw my hands in the air and I retorted angrily:

 _"Sir your orders can hang. There are dozens of innocent folk in that town, and they are probably going to die unless you do something."_

I japed a finger into his chestplate, my eye locked with his:

 _"You're the officer in charge, it is your duty to protect and defend those unable to do it themselves. Only you, nobody else, can save them."_

He stared at me; bewildered, confused and conflicted written all over his face. I relaxed, and withdrew my hand. Then his face changed, and I knew what he was going to do:

 _"If I allowed you in there, I need you to guarantee you'll assist us."_

I patted Lowlight on my back:

 _"I think I can guarantee that…"_

* * *

I calmly took a sip from my Vault 13 flask, and began across the make shift bridge that crossed the long overpass that separated the outpost from the town. Tonight was overcast, which was good news for me. No moon light to expose me and darkness would work to my favor. I had Lowlight out, ready to rock and roll as I crossed the bridge and began making my way into to town. Ahead of me were two large buildings and one ahead of those which was a good four stores high.

I quickly scuttled over to a long rusted corvette and peered around with the scope, the intensity sights bathing the world in different shades of green. I swung around to my left and spotted two shanty houses that looked like they had been made from different assortments of scrap metal. With a final peer around, I silently sled over the car and began creep running over to the nearest building ahead of me. With my back to wall, I began moving forward. No further than ten feet forward, I suddenly heard voices around the corner. Then I spotted the fire light, and I crept closer.

As I approached the corner, I lopped my head and peered around the corner. There were three blue coated convicts huddled around a fire, hands out to gather whatever warmth they could muster. Fortunately they all had their backs turned to me, which granted me the opportunity to look around. Even though my night vision was impaired by the glow of the fire, I could spot movement on the roller coaster and on the roof of the four store building. I ducked back, wondering what to do to take these guys out quickly and quietly.

An idea came to me. I looked around and grabbed a nearby brick and I threw it out ahead of me to my right. It had the desirable _thud_ , and I could hear the Convicts ahead startled by the noise. I tensed, my rifle locked dead in my hands. One by one, they went out to investigate, the darkness concealing me from their eyes. I raised my rifle, and fired into the head of the last one in line.

The silencer muffled the noise to barely that of a low pop. He dropped to floor, and in heart beat I was up and creeping, my knife in my hand. As the second one in line turned, I jabbed it into his trachea. I withdrew and just in time, as I dropped the second convict he let out a loud gurgle as he choked on his blood, causing the last one to turn. As he began to go for his gun, I flipped the handle up, catching it by the blade and lobbed it at him.

It struck him in the chest, shock registering in his eyes as he dropped to the floor. I quickly scuttled over and withdrew the blade from the dead man. I looked around, relieved that no one had seen my lethal deeds. I cocked the bolt, loading another round and moved forward my eye looking left and right, noticing a slump body to my right. I looked one more time around and I moved over to where it laid.

I knelt next to the body and I knew he had been dead for at least a couple of days. His skin was cold and shriveled a pale black, a hole in his chest cover in dried blood. I ran my hands through some of his coat pockets, and then I noticed something in his hand. It was a crumpled up note, maybe something important. I uncrumpled it and began to read its contents.

It was almost identical to my own Mojave Express order, the only difference was the package: a pair of fluffy oversized 6 sided dice. Now, I began to wonder even more about the strangeness of this job. The note said there were four other packages as well, although it did not mention what they were. But I had the feeling that every person who had taken an involvement with this job probably shared my fate, and his. Then, I heard voices behind me.

Quickly I scuttled forward, and moved towards the door in front of me. It had been left ajar, so I silently slid through. My rifle raised, I scanned the room in front of me finding it empty. Then my left hand bumped into something metal, causing a low beeping noise to sound from my Pip-Boy. I hugged the wall, and I hit the screen illumination button, lighting it up to a visible level.

I stared in wonder at it. At the bottom of the screen was a long, almost ruler like line with attached tickmarks. On two of the tickmarks, it had the letters N and NE. Yet that wasn't what caught my attention. There were about four detached tickmarks moving across the line, causing the Pip-Boy to beep every couple of seconds. I glanced around the corner of the doorway, noticing a patrol of about four convicts moving down the road.

I then heard a louder beep from my left arm and looked down. A message popped up onto the Pip-Boy screen: _Welcome to Sensorium! This Vault-Tec modular motion detector allows the wielder to easily detect movement from 15 yard distance in a clear, obstacle free environment. Results on distances vary on different environments._

Well I seem to have an endless bag of tricks.

 _"What the hell?!"_

They had found the bodies of their comrades. I then grabbed a brick and I tossed against the wall in front of me. There must have been some bottles on that wall, because I heard the unmistakable sound of glass shattering into a million pieces. The Sensorium beeped once more and I knew they were coming. I quickly put my back against the wall; my rifle to my shoulder, my left hand holding my blade against the barrel grip.

They entered the room, one by one; the darkness concealing me from their gaze. Then the familiar calmness and equilibrium came to; focusing my gaze and then the targets began lighting up in that orange hue. This time it felt a little different. While the first target had about the same options as the last time I had used it, the other three became more specific. I realized why; it was calculating me using my blade.

 _"Let's dance."_

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only a second in real time; I selected my targets. _Head,_ drop rifle, _neck slash, stomach stab, upward slash and neck slash._ With the equilibrium starting to lose focus, I accepted my roll of the dice. My body then moved like a motor, firing my rifle into the last man entering the room. As he started to fall, in slow motion, I felt myself kick off the wall, rifle dropping to the floor and my blade nearly decapitating the second man in line.

As he started to fall, everything continued to move in slow motion while I seemed to be able to move at a normal speed. I then made mine, dispatching the third in line with a stab to his gut. I extracted the blade, and delivered an uppercut slash to the forth man's arm, causing him to fall back in pain. I then went for the kill strike; bring my blade down in whirl that slashed through the man's throat. As he fell to the floor; time then went to normal in a flash and everything collapsing to the floor in quickened succession.

Then a sudden explosion of weariness erupted throughout my body, causing me to collapse to my knees and hands. My lungs felt like they were on fire , my limps felt as heavy as lead, my brain pulsing in spikes of pain, my breathing as though I had sprinted for miles. I don't know how long I lay there, convulsing in my own exhaustion. Then as the pain throbbed in just blunt ache, when the many things fucked up about my body seemed to go back to normal, I slumped against what seemed to be a desk counter. I calmly took a sip from my Vault 13 flask, and looked around in the darkened gloom.

Even though the night time overcast made everything look pitch black, my eye were well adjusted to the darkness. Then I realized that there was no light or anything coming through the windows, where as there was coming through the open door. Slowly and painful I stood, moving to shut the door. This caused the room to go claustrophobic dark, yet this soon disappeared as I activated the Pip-Boy's light, painting everything about in a green hue. As I looked around, it came to me that this place must have been some kind of office.

Then as I turned, something caught my eye, something metal. I brought the light around and found myself staring at something that I could describe as odd as out of this world. I moved over it and began to examine it in detail, finding it rather difficult to explain in simple words. It was like a massive metal ball, the size of a man's torso, roughly. Its exterior looked a bit like a prewar Tank you'd see in old reels; armored, rough and dirty silver in color, with about half dozen comm. antennas sticking out from its back, three on the top and three on the bottom.

I turned it over, noticing its 'face' looked like a cooking grill. On its bottom was what I guessed some kind of anti-gravity device and just in front of that was the unmistakable appearance of a miniaturized laser. I turned it on its side, laughing a little at what it had stuck to its side. There was bumper sticker that said _'My son is an honor roll student at Roosevelt Academy, District of Colombia!'_ all in gold letters to really make this persons ego stand out. Next to that was an old rusted license plate bolted to its side, with all of the numbers and letters faded out except for three: ED-E.

 _"ED-E… Edie?"_ I mused over the robots name. Then something caught my eye and I turned it over, noticing the massive dent in its exoskeleton, next to that was what looked like a bullet hole. As it turned out, the back section of the robot was just an armored plate that was already unbolted, and opened wide like an old cabinet. I brought my Pip-Boy up and I peered inside to see what the damage was. I was surprised to find a second armored plate just behind the exterior one, and I noticed the remains of the slug imbedded in the metal.

I looked around, and I noticed a toolbox on the counter. I then reached in and pulled out a pair of pliers. With it, I pulled out what was left of the slug, and to my surprise found it was a .308 hunting round! Shot at twice, and only one of them was able to get through and even then it hadn't gotten far. Whoever built this robot was truly worthy of their skill.

I checked my Pip-Boy's internal clock: thirty minutes till midnight. Alright, I still have time. For next several minutes; I peered inside ED-E's internal working to see what had stop working. To my amazement, I found that the damage hadn't been total substantial. The bullet had only shred some of the wires connected to the robots power source (a packet of fission batteries connected to what looked like a solar panel), as well as two-of-the-six sensor modules used to be basically the robots internal and external eyes.

That was a little odd. I remembered taking apart other robots in the past and usually found only one or two sensor modules in them. Then again, this little guy had the six antennas; maybe as a comm. unit or maybe for recon purposes. Whatever the case may be, ED-E didn't prove too difficult to fix. In about ten minutes, I was able to fix the wiring and reconnect them to two spare sensor modules I found in the room. I then found a Soldering Iron, and was able to fuse bits of scrap metal over the bullet hole.

While it wouldn't be as strong as it once was, it at least wouldn't have a hole in its underside. I then closed its hatch, and applied the bolts. Almost as soon as I finished tightening the last bolt, the robot start vibrating like it was having a seizure. As I started backing away, it shot from the counter like a missile with a loud whoosh, flying around and beeping what seemed to be a happy tune. Then it seemed to turn its gaze to me and approached, beeping what seemed to be a question.

At first I was confused as to what to do, and then an idea came to me, as it seemed to be behaving as though it had an intelligence of its own:

 _"Hello little one, your name's ED-E, right? Name's Gideon; I fixed you up."_

It started dancing about in the air and seemed to be beeping merrily. I nodded in reply:

 _"Do you know where you're from or who made you?"_

It stopped dancing and seemed to almost shrug in the air. I posed another question:

 _"Do you have somewhere to go, bud?"_

It…oh the hell with it. He shook his head and seemed to be playing music: sad Cash music. Well, he's got good taste.

 _"Do you wanna come with me? I could use the company."_

Then it started nodding furiously, his speakers playing a piece from a song:

 _" We're gonna ride into the sunset forever…! "_

I chuckled to myself. Yeah he's got good taste.

 _"Well I don't know about forever, bud. C'mon, we've got some bad guys up ahead; I could use a hand in dealing with 'em."_

With that, he nodded once and played a short, military drum beat. I chuckled to myself and started walking over the bodies, opening the door and started back out into the street. I loosed my rifle from my shoulder and started moving across the street, ED-E bobbing along behind me, when my Pip-Boy beeped again. I looked down and noticed another message played on the screen: _A signal amplifier has been detected; Sensorium function range has been increased._

Well that answered why ED-E had all those antennas. Well, not really, but it at least gave me an idea. I checked my clock again: ten minutes till midnight. Then the Sensorium started beeping its warning: there was movement just ahead of me. As four tickmarks began moving at a quickened pace, I scuttled to the wall, ED-E close behind. I had no idea if ED-E could understand tactics or not, but I knew that stealth was paramount.

 _"ED-E, go silent,"_ I whispered, bringing my finger up to my lips. Oddly enough, the robot nodded, his buzzing seeming to muffle to just a barely audible hum. I brought my rifle forward and started moving back to where I began. As reached the corner, I could feel ED-E's presence, positioned like we were about to breach a room. So, this guy knows tactics, but… how?

I panned my head around the corner, noticing a patrol of four moving about the ground thirty feet out, and a door just to my left, which seemed to be bolted from the inside. I brought my rifle out, eye to scope and began moving from spot to spot, confirming targets. As I was doing this, I could feel ED-E moving to one of the adjacent pillars in a covering position. I could make out two snipers on the roof, another two patrolling the roller coaster, the patrol walking the grounds, plus another six by a camp fire. I heard a creak over my shoulder, and I turned my head.

In the gloom, I could make out the outline of the troopers, Lieutenant Hayes taking point with another three troopers on the other side of the road, moving silently. Hayes quickly came up to my shoulder; a question on his lips as his gaze moved to the floating robot.

 _"He's with me."_ I whispered. He nodded.

 _"How many did you see?"_

 _"Over twenty. Seven have gone to buy the farm."_

 _"You weren't kidding when you said you could yourself, Mr. Maddox. Where are the rest?"_

 _"Two on the roof, two on the rollercoaster, and another ten on the grounds."_

 _"We go on your mark then."_

I nodded, and I brought the scope to my eye. I balanced my elbow on my knee and braced for my shot; my mind calculation the wind and bullet drop. I took a breath, and I took the shot. The first one dropped, his burning hot body blasting apart like flames in the scopes hue. As he fell, I cocked the bolt and locked onto the second target. As he moved forward, I separated his head from his shoulders to join his friend on the floor.

 _"Engage!"_ Hayes hollered, rising to his feet, his Service Rifle raised like an extension of his arm. I rose to my feet, shouldering my rifle and drawing my Colts. As the Troopers began charging forward, I gestured to ED-E:

 _"Go loud."_

He beeped an acknowledgement that I could swear sounded like _'with pleasure.'_ Suddenly, his low humming turned into a scream as he shot from his cover like a raging missile, his speakers roaring a raging drum step that descended into full-on heavy battle music. I could feel the blood in me roar like a raging bear, as the company charged forward with our racing robot in front. The convicts in front were now skedaddling to cover, with the Trooper opening up with automatic fire.

As the convicts began returning fire, ED-E did the unexpected: he started bobbing around, blocking the enemies' fire like a shield! I could see bullets pinging off of his hide like the armor of an advancing tank and his retaliation was just as terrifying. As one of the convicts attempt to dodge to cover; a pure hot red beam fired from the robots underbelly like dragons breath: blasting into the center mass of the convict. In seconds the red hot beam surrounded him in its energy, its intense heat reducing the man to ash. The smell of ozone filled the air as time seemed to stand still, but not for ED-E.

With the roar of drums and orchestra playing in the air; the floating ball of death zoomed forward blasting convicts left and right, their meager bullets pinging off of his armored hide like moths to a hot bulb. The stillness of the air shattered; we advanced forward, engaging the convicts that had not been reduced to ash. One by one, the convicts either chose to surrender or suffer annihilation. As the troopers moved about, collecting their prisoners; I watched the gleaming robot hovering above it all: like the Reaper over a graveyard.

 _"Damn. Remind me not to piss off your 'bot."_ I heard a trooper chuckle, quietly. I sighed and gestured my hand, ED-E hovering over.

 _"ED-E, if you were a dog I'd give you a treat,"_ ED-E seemed to chuckle at this, so I continued, _"However, I can say this. Good job."_

 _"Alright men!"_ I heard Hayes suddenly bellow, _"We've cleared the streets, but no doubt there are more inside! I want a perimeter set up in five! Spread out and find any of the towns people if you can."_

That perked my interests, and started looking around. Then I noticed the building I remembered had the bolted door. I chuckled at myself for not thinking it sooner.

 _"Hayes!"_ I called, the officer turning to face me, _"I think I know where the townsfolk are! Follow me."_

He nodded, gestured to one of his men to follow, and trotted over to where I was. I approached the door, and just as I was about to knock; Hayes stopped me.

 _"Maybe I should do it,"_ He suggested, and moved over and began knocking on the door: _"NCR army! Open up! You're safe!"_

A moment of silence and then was promptly broken by a loud, gruff voice: _"How do we know this isn't somekind of trick! We heard a lot of gunfire out there!"_

Hayes gave me the 'why does this always happen' look, and was about to retort when I interrupted him: _"If we were convicts, I don't think we'd try to weasel our way in!"_ I shouted at the door, _"We'd just blow this door off its hinges and come in shooting."_

Again, another moment of silence, another exchange of looks. This time, however, the silence was broken by the unbolting of locks and the cringe of long unoiled door hinges. The next thing I knew; I had a rather familiar .357 revolver in my face and a rather familiar face behind it. Hayes raised his Service Rifle on the doorman, but I shook my head and he lowered it.

 _"Nice to see you again, Maddox. Granted everywhere you go there seems to be a lot of noise and shit just getting blown up."_

 _"Nice to see you too, Meyers."_ I replied, calmly, _"You're a long ways from the Prison."_

The doorman stepped out, confirming my suspicions about the man's identity. The only difference was that Meyers had replaced his blue jumpsuit for a cattleman's everyday appearance; black jeans, a white cotton shirt and a rancher vest to go with it. He held the .357 at chest level, and after a tense moment more, he holstered it.

 _"Go on in, Johnson Nash is the one who runs things here."_ Meyers said, turning his back and going on back into the building. The first thing one could see when they first entered was the remains of an ancient black Corvette riddled with dozens of bullets, sitting on a spinning display. Once one entered the room, then they understood what it was: the Vikki and Vance Casino.

 _"The partners in crime,"_ I mused. Memories and grainy images began filling my mind: a package, a job as dull as any other, taken up by five others. Then another familiar face came to view, an older man, whose face was wearied down by a life out in wastes, darkened by the unending gaze of the deserts unmerciful master.

 _"You must be Johnson Nash."_ Hayes spilling out my thoughts with his own, _"I'm Lieutenant Hayes…"_

The chatter of the two men faded into the background noise as my eye scanned the hall about. Dozens of people, anger, relief and hunger written on each of their faces. The many blackjack tables, roulette spinners and card tables dotted all around, pale reflections of an age that had died violently some two hundred years ago. Funny, no one even knows who pressed the button first. Then suddenly, I heard loud, angry beeping and a loud crash behind me.

I turned, and I had to catch myself from bursting out laughing. ED-E was hovering over a fallen Meyers, the floating robot seeming to glare dead-eyed angry at him. He was oddly emitting very angry sounding chirps and beeps, which seemed to put the fear of God in the fallen Meyers.

 _"Well, well, well. It seems ED-E doesn't like you, Meyers."_ I said, chuckling to myself.

 _"What… What the hell is this thing?"_ Meyers asked, fear held in the croak of his voice.

 _"He's mine. That's all you need to know."_

 _"Fine. Just tell it to leave me alone."_

With that, ED-E turned its gaze to me and beeped what sounded like question. I nodded and gave him the 'you made your point' look. He looked down at Meyers and finally hovered over to where I was standing, allowing Meyers to quickly jump from the floor, going back to the wall. I chuckled dryly and posed the question that had been forming for the past five minutes:

 _"So how'd you end up here, Meyers? Here in the middle of nowhere?"_

He pushed his hat further up and spoke:

 _"After you blew up the Prison, I wondered a bit through the night and eventually ended up here. Conveniently, around the same time that the Powder Gangers here murdered the town's sheriff and kidnapped the deputy. Now I'm trying to help keep some order in this place."_

 _"Any idea how many convicts were dealing with?"_

 _"Yep. Was able to get a count 'fore they ran this place to ground. I think there are 40, but there have been a few stragglers roaming in."_

I nodded. That put the total number of hostiles to over ten, roughly. Well, now that the NCR had regained their nerves and were actually going to do their job, I think-

 _"Zzzzt… Howdy pardner, you must be new in town. 'Cause I've never seen you before!"_

I turned around slowly, my eye scanning the source of the odd voice.

 _"Down here, pardner!"_ the odd, mechanical voice speaking again. I then looked down the stairs leading to the hall and I saw him… er, it. It was a robot, a protectron model. He was barely over five feet tall, with a rounded torso which was connected to vertical visor that gave him a Cyclops look. It had ball jointed, sluggish looking arms and near identical legs.

Yet, that wasn't the strangest thing. The strangest thing was it was wearing ornate white cowboy boots and an equally fancy hat. I heard a chuckle from over my shoulder and Meyers came walking over to where I was standing:

 _"Name's Primm Slim, the ornate and strange curator of the Car of Death exhibit you see in front of you."_

If this Primm Slim had a face, I'm sure he would have scowled to go along with the annoyance in his voice: _"I think I can handle my own introductions, Meyers! See my friend, this old sourpuss likes to go and ruin the flashiness of things!"_

Meyers just chuckled at this:

 _"Hey, ruining the flashiness of your introductions is my job, Slim!"_

Despite the weirdness of what I was experiencing, I had to admit its hilarity.

 _"Just a pity you won't actually tag along with me!"_ Meyers began, chuckling to himself the while, _"You'd have made a fine deputy."_

 _"As I told you before, my tasks as a curator must always come first!"_

 _"Now that's just the worst excuse."_

At this point, I decided to let these two argue with each other over the finer points of one man's wishes. I spotted Hayes and Johnson discussing matters over at one of the Blackjack tables. As I approached them, Hayes stood up and walked past me.

 _"Where do things stand here?"_ I asked him. He turned and replied:

 _"Nash has agreed to allow us to help keep the peace here. Once the situation with the convicts has been dealt with, we will do what we can."_

 _"I spoke with one of the folks here, a former sheriff,"_ I began, choosing my word regarding Meyers with the utmost care, _"He said that were 40 of 'em in town."_

 _"40? Then that leaves under fifteen holed up in the Bison Steve. Well I'll head out and get the rest of my men out here to set up a perimeter around the Hotel."_

With that, Hayes headed out of the Casino. I turned and found Johnson looking at me.

 _"You're one of the Express Couriers, aren't you?"_ He said in a wearied voice.

 _"Was it that obvious?"_ I replied in a cheerful expression. He laughed a little and gestured for me to take a seat.

 _"You were one of the six couriers I sent out with one of those packages. I remembered you were the only one who asked the important question."_

 _"Which was?"_

 _"Who had ordered those packages to be delivered."_

 _"Obviously someone very important to want to kill the couriers carrying them,"_ I remarked, removing my hat and revealing my still bandaged head. Nash leaned over and felt where the bullets had hit their marks.

 _"Damn. You survived that?"_

 _"At the cost of most of my memories. What can you tell me about the packages?"_

 _"Like I said, there were seven of them. There was a chess piece, a pair of fluffy dice, a snow globe, a dradle, some kind metal match box, a medallion and your platinum chip. And odd enough, the one who contracted us the deliveries was a cowboy robot."_

 _"A cowboy robot? What'd he look like?"_

 _"Like a box with a screen on a wheel."_

My mind went back to that mysterious securitron back at Goodsprings: Victor. Before I left, he had told me that he had rolled into that town some ten years prior, and many in the town had confirmed his story. Yet despite that, how many cowboy robots built like a box on a wheel did I know?

 _"You know, come to think that wasn't the oddest part,"_ Nash said, interrupting my thoughts.

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"Just before we were going to send the couriers out, there was another courier who was supposed to deliver your package."_

 _"What happened?"_

 _"He got this look when he saw you on the courier list. He asked me if you were still kicking and I told him you were. Then he told men that 'Courier 6 should deliver the package'. Then he up quit and left town."_

 _"Do you know where he went, who he was?"_

 _"No idea. Said his name was Ulysses or something like that. Did you know him?"_

I shook my head and I meant it. I had no idea who this 'Ulysses' was or why'd he react to my name like that. I decided to change the subject:

 _"The man who shot me, he was a cityboy in a checkered suit and he had a couple of Khans with him. Do you know if they came this way?"_

 _"Now that you mentioned it, I think they did. I know Deputy Beagle had some notes on them."_

I groaned at this and asked the question that had been stirring in my mind:

 _"This wouldn't happen to be the same Deputy who was taken captive by the convicts?"_

 _"Yes actually he was."_

 _"Great…"_


	9. Chapter VIII: Not my kind of town

**Chapter VIII:**

 **Not my kind of town**

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

The night was settling. While there would be no moon tonight, it would only make the hunt all the more satisfying. I handed the keys to the Dino-Mouth perch to Cliff Briscoe, and began heading out the door.

 _"Hunting again, Boone?"_ Cliff called from over my shoulder. I turned and faced him, my eyes slitting into a casual glare. Despite this, Cliff continued his rather condescending crooked grin that he almost always wore.

 _"So who is this time?"_ he continued, _"More Vipers? Maybe some ragged down tourists who just happen to cross your troubled way."_

 _"Legion."_ I replied. He arched an eyebrow at me.

 _"How can you tell, especially in this darkness?"_

 _"Years of experience fighting them in the dark. Crimson was always easy to spot."_

 _"So how long are you gonna be gone?"_

 _"They were 4 miles out when I saw them. Heading south. I'll be back the day after tomorrow."_

Cliff then began shaking his head, revealing a long bald dark head with only patches of gray hair on either side of his head.

 _"Boone, this has gotta stop."_

 _"Why should it?"_

 _"Well, because people are starting to get worried…"_

 _"What people, Cliff?"_

 _"Okay fine._ _I'm_ _worried about you, Boone."_

 _"You shouldn't be."_

Much to my surprise, Cliff slammed his fist onto counter, and almost began to shout:

 _"Damn it, Boone! You have got to stop doing this, man! I know why you're going on these hunts. Killing more Crimson will not bring back-"_

 _"Don't you dare say her name, Cliff!"_ I snarled at him, which caused the normally gentle man to jump back in fright, _"Don't you ever say her name."_

 _"Boone, do you think your wife would want you to keep on doing this? To keep killing in her name? You're just gonna get yourself killed!"_

 _"I don't think she cares anymore, Cliff. She's dead."_

With that, I marched out the door, the swinging door the only reminder of my presence. I adjusted the straps on my rifle and as well as my red beret. A minute later, I was past the fence and into the night, the neon letters of NO-VAC blaring behind my back…

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I slid out of the casino entrance, followed by ED-E, Meyers and Primm Slim. It had taken me roughly twenty minutes to reprogram Slims internal systems, activating his hidden law enforcement protocols. An interesting fact I had learned about the Protectron model robot is that they were originally built to be essentially cops and security guards. I remembered reading somewhere that the robots were reserved for a support role only. That would do fine either way.

Quickly, we passed the sandbag walls that the Troopers had set up in front of the Bison Steve Hotel. I knew that the convicts wouldn't risk a gunfight with men who had basically machineguns, now that they were whittled down to less than fifteen. However, the Troopers on the street would serve as the perfect distraction.

 _"Are you sure there's a side entrance to the Bison Steve?"_ I asked Slim.

 _"Sure is,"_ the odd mechanical voice replied, _"Used to be the old platform they used for the rollercoaster. Well, when it was actually upright."_

I could see what he meant. Most of the rollercoaster had fallen to piece around its self. Fortunately for us, there was still a section of the coaster left that led to a platform on the second level. Quickly, we headed up the rollercoaster and onto the platform. In front of us was an old wooden door.

 _"Weapons check!"_ I said to the band of desperados. In truth only Meyers and I needed to. I pulled out the Browning and Colt, and did my usual manual check of the weapons. I then brought out my newer weapon, even if it was temporary. Out on the wastes, range and good line of sight made Lowlight am excellent choice, but not in the enclosed claustrophobic close-quarters nightmare that the hotel had in store for us.

I had been forced to switch to an older model S&W M76 9mm SMG. It wasn't the most accurate of weapons, but in CQC's, it was a good choice. This one had the extended eight inch barrel, as well as the foldable stock. I checked its long, 30 round stick magazine, along with the back up two I had in a pouch. I then unfolded the stock and held it firmly in shoulder, my left hand using the magazine as a forward grip. I checked over my shoulder to see how Meyers was holding up.

He had his .357 revolver in his holster, wielding the two over/under barrel Olympia caravan shotgun. He was also adjusting a bandolier of 20 gauge slugs over his shoulder. Both weapons I had pawned off of the now deserted NCR outpost, and I doubt they'd come looking for them. He nodded and we geared up to breach the door. Funny enough, as he was getting ready to kick down the door, I stopped him and opened the door; it had been unlocked.

I brought my weapon up, and swept into the hallway, my aim sweeping left and right. Meyers came in second followed by the robots. I checked the Sensorium (love saying that), confirming no targets in the vicinity. However, I had been right about this place; this sham of a building. The place was literally falling apart; with holes in the floor board and in the walls, paint peeling and the wood rotting. Overall, this building deserved to be condemned and burnt to ash.

The only thing I hadn't counted on was the darkness. It was almost pitch dark in this place, and unnervingly quiet. I switched on the Pip-Boy light, the green hue adding to the yellow from Meyers's flashlight (tapped to the barrel of his scattergun). Overall, the building was three stores high, and to save time, we agreed to clear this floor together and split up, man to robot, to clear the rest of the building. ED-E and I would take the third floor, Meyers and Primm the first.

 _"Watch your footing, this floor's liable to fall,"_ I whispered to the man and machines. Meyers nodded and the robots beeped in acknowledgment. I brought my weapon to my shoulder and took point, Meyers staying close to my left and the robots forming a rearguard. I moved forward and came to a corner. The Sensorium started beeping softly, and I held up my hand in the 'stop' gesture.

I checked the Sensorium; two tickmarks were moving ahead of us, at a patrolling pace, around the corner. I signaled the party behind of this information, and I moved slowly around the corner, Meyers close behind. I had gone no more than five feet when I heard voices up ahead and I soon saw a door ahead of me open, and Meyers moving to my left hand side wall. One man stepped through and turned his back to me. I aimed and popped a burst into the back of the man's skull. He fell in a red tumble, the SMG burst making only a muffled popping sound (another reason why this weapon was useful for insertions, the weapon made very little noise without the aid of any attachments).

The second gunmen came running, a handgun in hand. Yet he only got a foot out the door before Meyers fired off both barrels, obliterating his shoulder and head. The Sensorium began beeping again, this time three tickmarks coming from the hallway we had just come from.

 _"Overwatch,"_ I said to the robots, _"go loud."_

They need no further permission. They quickly scuttled back down the hallway and to the right. ED-E's military drums echoed through the air followed by Slims _'_ _Yeeha!_ _'_ Seconds later; the crackle of laser fire and the smell of ozone rippled through the hall, as did the cries of their intended targets. We waited, and a minute later the robots returned, ED-E playing triumphant bugle music and Primm Slim declaring: _"Whoo-wee! We taught 'em somethin'!"_

I could smell burning flesh, and I had a suspicion that Slims laser gauntlets were probably less powerful than ED-E's. Previous weapon experience had told me that some laser weapons sometimes only lit the targets on fire rather than incinerating them, but they did the job easily enough. We continued along the hallway, checking each room we came to. Fortunately for us, we found quite a bit of loot in many of them. They were mainly bottle caps and meds mostly, sometimes found in the bath tubs.

To whoever found them would reap in their spoils. Eventually, we came across a room where the roof had caved in, forming a ramp leading up to the third floor. I quietly shut the door, and held it in place with a chair. This would be my way in. We crossed the last hallway and came across two convicts standing at a stairwell that led to the third floor.

Their backs were again turned to us, smoking; I unleashed a barrage into both targets. The burst ripped open both targets in a spray of red and lead. After doing a final search, we located the stairs heading down to the first floor.

 _"Good luck to ya, Maadox. Good chance they gonna know your coming."_ Meyers commented. I nodded:

 _"Likewise to you. But I'm going through the backdoor."_

He nodded, and headed down the stairs, followed by the clacking of Slims heavy boots.

 _"C'mon, ED-E. We got work to do,"_ I said to the floating robot, which beeped his musical response: _" You know I'm ready for the worst! "_

 _"Let's hope it doesn't come to that, bud."_ I chuckled. Quickly, we headed back towards the blocked door I had founded earlier. As we ran, I could already hear the steady roar of distant gunfire. I shrugged it off and removed the chair I had placed earlier, signaling ED-E to breach the door and I opened it slowly. As it opened, ED-E zoomed in, bobbing his body around and up the caved in roof. He then beeped the all clear, and I headed up.

I checked the Sensorium, and headed up, SMG pointed up and ready to rock. We soon came across a series of hallways and we transversed them slowly. Even though the Sensorium never beeped once, I couldn't be sure what effect closed doors and rooms would have on it, so we went through every room we found. Then the Sensorium began beeping, two tickmarks moving around the corner. As soon as we got close, they must've heard us because an unwavering barrage of fire erupted from around the corner.

I backed a good five feet from the killzone; knowing that these walls would provide zero cover against the incoming fire. A minute later, I heard a distinct click, and I knew they had run dry.

 _"Shield, now!"_ I ordered. ED-E then began playing 'Ride of the Valkyries' and then zoomed in front, I moved right behind and just as expected, the tangos opened up again. ED-E then bobbed in front of me, acting as a floating shield against the incoming lead. The only price was that ED-E couldn't shoot at the same time, but I worked around that. As ED-E advanced, Valkyries roaring; I ducked underneath the robot and fire a burst into the targets. The rounds shredded their shins, sending them to the floor in screams of pain.

ED-E's music changed, the lyrics echoed in the hallway; " _Now you shall pay your own… very price! "_ Suddenly, ED-E fired his laser, engulfing both in a red glow, reducing them to ash. I rose to my feet, my eye glued to the remains of the enemy that once stood. I don't know how long I just stood there dumb faced, when all of a sudden the Sensorium started beeping madly. ED-E hurried along the hallway when I realized what was wrong. I started running, trying to warn the floating robot.

I was too late. Suddenly, a door to ED-E's right opened and a shotgun protruded out from it. A split-second later, both barrels unloaded into the floating robot, and causing him to exclaim aloud. The pellets blew up great sparks as the impacted the armor; forcing me to cover my eye with the sleeve of my jacket. Yet when I gazed upon ED-E; he was unchanged, but covered in smoke: his beeping sounding practically like a wolf's growl. As I moved up, I saw the man in the broom closet who was huddled against the wall; terror sewed into his eye and face.

ED-E slowly turned; like an angry god about to bestow his vengeance. As he turned upon the cowering man, I could see him whimpering in his wake. ED-E growled, and fired, blasting the man in a red glow the surrounded him, reducing him to ash.

 _"Let me see you."_ I said to the floating robot, and attempting to examine his wounds. He resisted, pulling away from my grip.

 _"Let me see you."_ I ordered in a commanding voice. He finally stopped and turned to his wounded side. I looked at his armored plat, noticing only tiny dents where the pellets had hit him. He beeped once and I nodded:

 _"C'mon, let's finish this."_ I said to the indestructible ED-E, who beeped in pleasure. Quickly, we advanced along the corridor until we came across a set of wooden double doors. On the other side I could hear voices and movement. I geared myself and kicked down the door with all might, sending both open in a splinter of wood. Then I saw what was ahead of me.

 _"Shit!"_ I shouted as I dodged and slid to my back as a great roar of flame shot past where I was standing. The convict ahead of me had a flamethrower! Suddenly another ball of flame fired at where I was laying so I quickly rolled over to the other door. He rolled the flame into an arc, the door quickly catching fire. It still served as an effective shield.

Then suddenly, ED-E zoomed right into the room and opened up. To my horror, the man was wearing a sort of plate metal suit ontop of what looked like a fireproof suit. ED-E's laser crackled, but the metal absorbed the incoming fire; leaving scorch marks yet no incineration! Then it quickly turned into a dance as ED-E and the convict moved around the room, firing or attempting to fire on the other with no great effect. As I moved out to try and assist my comrade, an automatic weapon slammed into and began tearing apart my burning cover.

I rolled, firing a burst with no great accuracy and slammed through another door. More fire erupted, the tracers tearing straight through the upper wall. I rolled again, going through another door and into a hallway. I ended up in a kitchen and I could see the convict with the flamethrower ahead of me, his tank exposed! Yet, as I was about to raise my SMG; I felt something smack over my head, sending me to the floor and throwing away both my weapon and hat.

My head felt like it was spinning, but I did the only thing I could do: attack! I kicked out and sideswiped my opponents' legs, sending him crashing into a wall. I lunged at him, throwing a punch into his chest, which was retaliated by a punch to my face. I refused to go to the floor; so I held on, threw my weight and sent him into another wall. I then slammed my fist once, and then twice into his head.

He slammed something that felt like toaster into my face and I fell back; him ontop of me. He started punching me in my face, but I blocked him the second go and countered with my own blow to the face. He fell back and I went at him again, this slamming my forehead into his. Not the best idea, as we both whirled back in pain and I fell to the floor. Then I spotted my SMG, and I crawled towards it.

He saw and came running. As he lunged in mid-air, I grabbed the SMG and fired a burst into his chest; sending him falling to the floor. I stood and spotted the flamethrower convict: his back tanks exposed. I took aim and fired. The bullets ripped into the tank, but instead of an explosion you'd see in a prewar movie, a small fireball erupted and engulfed the man in flames.

He was screaming and running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Then my floating robot fired a single round into the man's head and decapitated him. With that, a great sense of nausea rolled right through me and I had to sit, or more like slump, against a wall. ED-E came floating over, chirping like if he was asking me if I was okay. I looked up and saw that ED-E was covered in soot and a few scorch marks, as well as a few more tiny dents over his grill like face.

 _"ED-E, you look how I feel."_ I said to him and he responded in kind. Then suddenly there was banging coming from inside a closet and a hoarse voice called from it:

 _"Let me out! Let me out!"_

Quickly, we moved towards the door, opening it and our respective weapons pointed at what was inside. I relaxed as I saw who it was.

 _"You Deputy Beagle?"_ I asked. The man was in his early thirties, with long blond hair and a face that looked like it had taken a beating. The man nodded:

 _"I'm assuming that you're here to rescue me?"_ He asked me. I nodded, and slid my knife out from my boot and began cutting his bounds.

 _"Way I hear it; you've got information on a group of Khans that came through here_

 _"Sure I do. And I'll be happy to give it to ya when we get…"_

I held the knife up, and he stopped in his tracks:

 _"Either give me what I want, or I will leave you in here to rot!"_ I growled at him, ED-E punctuating my point by floating just a little closer to the man and beeping one loud, shrill tone. He visibly gulped, reached into his pocket and pulled out a recorder.

 _"Here, take it!"_ He said handing the recorder to me, _"Now I'll just be on my way…"_

 _"Not so fast Deputy Chicken,"_ I growled, stopping him again with the knife, _"If you so much as try to run off on me, I will gut you. Are we clear?"_

He nodded, and we started heading down the stairs. The first thing that hit me when I opened the door was the smell of cooking meat. As we approached the lobby, the smell became stronger. We soon encountered Meyers and Slim a little later.

 _"Zzzt, good to see ya again, partner."_ Slims mechanical voice ringed out through the lobby of the hotel. Slim was in about the same shape as ED-E, if just a bit worse. Covered in bullets dents, but health and mind still unchanged. I looked around, noticing all the bodies about blasted by scattergun, and two still on fire. Speaking about a scattergun, Meyers was sitting on the lobby counter; shotgun cradled with one arm, the other holding an odd looking .357 revolver in the other, a cigar clenched in his teeth.

 _"Looks like you had fun,"_ I said to the cocky Meyers, _"New toy?"_

 _"Yep,"_ he replied, holding up his new revolver, which had grip made of an elk antler with a spade stamped right in the middle, _"Found it in the locker behind me, figured it'd be a good memento. Here, catch."_

He tossed over another cigar. I lit it, and breathed in the smoke down into my lungs. It had a musty smell as with all old tobacco, but the taste and feel was all still there. Meyers then holstered the revolver and tossed over a leather bag. It clinked when I caught it.

I opened it up, and gleamed at the sight of the bottle caps.

 _"Figured you need it more than me. Now, you must be Beagle? Well, you're talkin' to yer new boss, and guess what? Yer fired."_

* * *

" _This is most unusual! The Powder Gangers have visitors today. I guess there's a first for everything! Now those tough-looking fellows must be Great Khans. I recognize those funny helmets and leather vests from stories I've heard..._

 _"So what are they doing with a dapper gentleman who wears a checked suit? I wouldn't mind a suit like that. They're talking about heading south toward Nipton, then west to Novac where they'll meet up with someone..._

 _"I guess I could track them if I needed to, but the town of Primm needs me here, to serve and protect._

 _"Oh my. I think I've been spotted..."_

I played the recording over and over, visualizing everything I could about the ones I would be hunting soon. Either way, they were going to be close to a week ahead of me, and I knew that I needed to find a way to pick up the pace; shorten the distance somehow. There was nothing I could do now at the moment, as I hadn't properly let my injuries heal from Goodsprings. Nash and his wife, Ruby, had confined me to bed for atleast a day, if not more.

Well, atleast here I could plan, as the Pip-Boy had in its banks detailed maps of the area I was planning to travel through. Apparently it could scan other maps to be constantly updated. I knew I needed more supplies: ammo, chems and Intel. That meant heading south to the NCR base at Mojave Outpost first, then swinging around to Nipton and then making my way to Novac. Overall, that was a fourteen mile trip. One advantage I knew I would have is that my prey didn't know I was still alive. I had died over two weeks ago, and the Khans had only showed up in Primm not three days ago.

That meant that they were taking their sweet time to get to where they were going. They would avoid the Mojave Outpost, as the Khans were on the shoot on sight list for the NCR. However, I knew that they would probably spend several days at Nipton. It was a rest and pleasure town; a Venus Fly Trap along with other names. In short, it provided any and everything; booze, girls and drugs, along with other townly services.

Knowing the Khans, they would not pass up at that kind of service. If I played my time right, I could probably catch up with them in a matter of days, and if luck would have it, wasted by the time I found them. Now with the indestructible ED-E in tow, it would come down to a very short gunfight. I would have my vengeance and my answers. It would only come down to careful planning and a degree of patience.

In other news, I was able to convince Lieutenant Hayes to accept Meyers as a candidate for sheriff, and to help keep the peace in the town. I am back to my old job as a courier for a bit, the other reason for me heading to Mojave Outpost. Hayes needed me make a delivery, two separate request forms; one for Meyers pardon and for additional reinforcements. That was another reason why the NCR was always so slow; the endless paper trail that they always created and required for everything that they did. However, it does serve a purpose, I suppose.

Meyers then proclaimed that he was going to make Slim his deputy, and made the public point to fire Beagle. I wasn't surprised. The man was coward when it came to it, the only reason he got his job was because the deceased sheriff was his brother-in-law. Meyers on the other hand took his job as a solemn sense of duty, and Slim just seemed to enjoy it, well for as long as his programming lasted that is. Still, with a squad of soldiers and a commander who knew what he was doing: the town would be safe… for now.

 _"Well, atleast today had come to something good, I guess."_

I had felt restless in my solitude, so I spent several hours disassembling, cleaning and oiling my firearms. Then I spent the next several sighting the scope on Lowlight, slowly figuring out its effective range and adjusting the scope accordingly. All this, and taking on the part time job of an exterminator, testing my rifle on a few scurrying rats in the distance. I found that the rifle leaned a little to the left, and it took me about an hour to center into place. But the end, I couldn't be any happier.

Heading back inside, I made a mental count of all of my equipment, and even made a catalog in the Pip-Boy. I was low on ammo, food and water. But I still had a decent supply of morphine, steroid pills and militarized LSD. They along with the M76 would fetch a decent price. Just going over the list of what I needed was enough to make me grimace.

Even if I didn't have the time, I could not change my mind about going to the Mojave Outpost. I wasn't gonna last long if I didn't resupply soon…

* * *

It was about midday when ED-E and I rolled right out of town and off towards the Outpost. It somehow felt good to be out on road again, maybe because with every step I was getting closer and closer to my goal. When it came to it, I wasn't just out for revenge. I wanted answers. The answers to my seamlessly endless list of questions that burned away in my mind.

It was getting a bit chillier and windier as the month quickly approached the end of October. I wrapped my scarf around my face, blocking out a good amount of the blowing sand and I ended up wrapping my weapons in the bundles of blankets that had been resting at the bottom of my bag. The desert didn't seem to bother ED-E one bit though. He was just floating around, his internal speakers playing off songs from the radio. The hours seemed to tick down with every new song.

 _" Oh blue moon… You found me standing alone… without a dream in my heart… without a love of my own! "_

 _" Blue moon… you knew just what I was there for… You heard me saying a prayer for… Someone I really could care for! "_

Sinatra's vocals served to bring back old memories; those old grainy images of an embarrassing love, that first love, so many years ago.

 _"_ _And then there suddenly appeared before me… The only one my arms would hold I heard somebody whisper, "please adore me"… And when I looked to the moon it turned to gold_ _! "_

 _" Blue moon…Now I'm no longer alone… Without a dream in my heart… Without a love of my own! "_

Time just drifted on by, as we moved through the sandstorm. Finally, the storm died away, revealing the beautiful night sky, the stars shining with their full splendors. If there was one thing that never seemed to change about this screwed up reality that we lived in, it was those stars. Despite the horrors, the blood and violence, betrayal and contest that made up this land, the stars were always unchanging, ungrudging, and always… beautiful. It gives a little comfort to a man.

* * *

By six in the afternoon, I could see the Outposts one true signature, the one thing that stuck up out of the natural earth. No, it wasn't the seamlessly endlessly line of rusted frames of cars that dotted this highway going up the hill, it was the statues that stood above it all. Two men, one clad in a long trench coat, his head enclosed in a war helmet with a built in gasmask, the other bound in armor and rawhide hat, shaking hands. This marked the end of actually NCR controlled territory. It also marked their unending need to glorify themselves. It wasn't really a monument of unification; it was a monument of their ego.

When the Legion brought the fight here, these two would only serve as a tombstone for the many thousands who have died in futile dream bred form greed. That is until Caesar melts it down and reshapes it into a bull. For when I stared into the monument; I felt betrayal. I felt an old, ancient anger at the heirs of an old dream. All for reasons long forgotten or deeply buried.

I shook it off. I wasn't here to discuss my own personal politics, I was here to barter. We crossed over the hill, and came into full view of the base. A chainlink fence on both sides of the road, one for the Brahmin, the double headed cows, and the other for the barracks and Administration building. While I remembered coming here more than once, I was still surprised at how undermanned the facility was. I could only see maybe four soldiers around and that wasn't counting the caravaners that were stuck here for whatever bureaucratic reason.

Quickly I made my way to the Admin building, with many staring wonderingly at ED-E. I passed two of the soldiers who were on one side of the fence, and entered the building. My eye had long adjusted to the darkness outside, so the indoor lights were quite a shock and my eye stung. I shook it off, my eye quickly adjusting to the lights ahead of me. In truth, this place looked more like a prewar office floor than any military command room, with the many cubicles that ran through the room.

 _"Caravan, citizen, pilgrim or…"_ A soft voice called from in front of me. Standing behind a desk, was another NCR officer. He was younger than Hayes, which in a way wasn't surprising. He was wearing no armor, a green officer beret, and a nametag on his left chest that read 'Knight'. I also noticed a gold olive branch on his collar piece, revealing his rank of Major.

 _"Courier, Major. So is the robot."_ I replied with a sense of conviction, which that and the mention of his rank made the Major stand just a little straighter.

 _"Just need something for the logbooks. Have to record what comes in and what comes out. Speaking of which, what's your business here?"_

 _"To buy supplies and deliver an invoice from Lieutenant Hayes. Two actually,"_ I answered, removing the two letters from my coat pocket.

 _"One's for a pardon,"_ I continued, _"and the other for reinforcements."_

 _"I should have guessed Hayes unit was in trouble,"_ Knight said, reading over both letters, _"But there's not much I can do for Hayes unit…"_

 _"Why?"_ I asked.

 _"Orders. We have to maintain a standing force here."_

 _"Sir, I've already told another officer that orders can hang,"_ I spoke calmly, avoiding becoming angry with the NCR's red tape, _"So I'm going to explain why. Primm is the controller of most major traffic before it hits Goodsprings and then Vegas. The town has already been secured. All it needs is a proper military presence to maintain order and it can be used as a means of patrolling the trade routes. Besides, the fight is there, not here."_

He nodded, seeming to understand what I was conveying to him:

 _"I'll do what I can, Mr..?"_

 _"Gideon, Gideon Maddox."_

 _"And reading over Hayes's report on Mr. Meyers, I'm safe to assume he will be willing to cooperate with NCR?"_

 _"If given a free hand, yes."_

 _"Again I'll do what I can. Now as for the supplies, I will give you the proper supply forms but it may take some time."_

 _"Of course it will…"_

* * *

When I stepped out of the Admin building, I felt absolutely drained. Then again, who actually likes paperwork? Yet despite that, it was worth it. When it came to buying or selling, the NCR were actually fair when it came to the prices. I guess that makes up for the tedious paper trail.

I had been able to requisition a dozen cases of MRE's. Essentially, lightweight air sealed boxes full of freeze dried food. Not the tastiest, but they would last and each would provide easily a day's worth for a long hike. I had also ordered 100 rounds in both .45 and .223 calibers. I also ordered up a standard medical pack, which also came with three additional stimpacks, one enhanced a couple shots of morphine (Med-X) as well as a few other things.

Overall, I was looking at a 600 cap investment, easy. Fortunately, I would still be able trade off some of that with the M76 and the 9mm ammo. Plus the additional chems I had as well. All I had to do was to take the forms to the bartender, who apparently was the unofficial supply officer here. Well, whatever works, besides… I could use a drink.

With ED-E wondering behind me, we made our way to the barracks. When I entered, the first thing that hit me was the aroma, the fragrance. It wasn't terrible, but one could smell the booze in the air. The place wasn't really special; it looked like what a bar is supposed to look like. A long bar, tables and chairs all around, although a side door to my left probably led to the actual trooper barracks.

All around me were troopers who at first stared oddly at me, then at ED-E.

 _"ED-E, overwatch but go silent. Watch for funny business."_

He nodded and headed over to a secluded corner with a good view of the room, and hovered there, trying his best to be inconspicuous. Then the bartender, a woman, called me.

 _"New face? Never seen you around here before, what'll you have?"_ She asked. I got a good look at her as I sat at a stool on the left corner. Late twenties, light dark skin, probably a Creole mix, a seeming striking cunning and intelligence to her. Overall, she was a fine woman, but probably one not to be trifled with.

 _"A shot of whiskey. And I heard you are the 'unofficial' supply officer here."_

 _"I wager Knight told you that,"_ she laughed, _"Well I do manage trade around here. You got your forms?"_

 _"Yep. Plus a few things to trade."_

I then placed a bundled up blanket onto the counter, unrolling it, revealing what I wanted to sell. I then handed her the requisition forms, which she took while inspecting my merchandise.

 _"You a merc by chance?"_ She asked.

 _"Nope; courier. So is the robot."_

 _"I've never seen a robot like that. Where'd you pick him up?"_

 _"Primm. Had to pull a .308 out of him."_

 _"Damn! Most just shatter when hit with that kind of round."_

 _"Yep. He's mine and mine only."_

Quickly, we conducted our business. She went to a back room for a time, finally returning with a box full of my selected gear. We then bartered down the worth of the M76 and my selected ammo, of which came down to 250 caps for the SMG, and 72 caps for the ammo. Then that came down to another 70 caps for the additional chems. That left only 208 caps for me to pay.

Another 8 caps thrown in for the whiskey. After that, I set about to pack my selected in my bag, all of which came into a fairly snug fit at the bottom of my sack. I then brought my weapons onto the bar, and set about loading every single magazine that I had. That came down to six .223 and .45 caliber magazines. While I was working, my eye kept on drifting to another woman who sat to my left.

She was in her thirties; tanned and rough tumbling, but neither could black out her incredibly red cheeks. I also noticed the messy tumbling of a ponytail, her hair just as red as her own cheeks. She was fair looking, but had the look of a tough woman who'd probably aim for the crotch. She bore a Suede Jacket, rattan hat and blue jeans tucked into a pair of cowboy boots. She in short looked solidly like a cowgirl.

But I know the look of a rancher, she wasn't one. She did however have the obvious look of a caravaner. One odd thing I noticed was this odd diamond shaped pennant hanging around her neck. But before I could guess further, she looked up from a glass half her face had been buried into for the past five minutes, and I quickly dodged my head to the side; filling my own shot of whiskey. Then that's when I noticed she moved seats, just two down from me, and I could feel her own eyes rolling all over me, before she took a swig of whiskey in a heavy gulp.

 _"Ya looking for trouble?"_ I heard her growl, the stench of alcohol and tobacco drifting over me. This wasn't going to end well.

 _"Nope,"_ I said with my weakest poker face I ever had _, "Just looking around, lady."_

She narrowed her eyes, and moved one more seat over… right next to me. Ah shit.

 _"You'd best keep those eyes up'n turning or I'll send 'em spinning."_

Then I did the stupid thing. I turned my head and gave her the 'I'd like to see you try' look with an arch eyebrow.

 _"I surprised you can even notice from the bottom of that bottle, you crazy woman."_

 _"What…Did… You… just say?!"_

 _"You heard me woman. Why you hogging my space?"_

 _"Oh, you've just got my attention, boy."_ She growled menacingly, my hand instinctually reaching for Parabellum, _"And not in a good way."_

 _"Too fucking bad,"_ I replied in kind, _"I ain't here for your pleasure."_

I should've expected what came next: the explosion of a bad chemical reaction. The next thing I knew; I was on the floor, my head spinning, my jaw aching, this drunken lady standing just above me. Then I heard the whoosh of internal gravity turbines as ED-E appeared over me, beeping harsh curses as he readied his laser. The woman didn't even remotely seem fazed.

 _"Back… Off!"_ I growled, standing up in a heartbeat. My blood was pumped and my submerged rage demanded a fight. I was going to give it one. Oh I was gonna give it one.

 _"Let's dance."_

Almost like an invitation, the drunken woman then threw another punch at my face. I saw it coming and dodge my head to the side, and stepped back. I grinned mockingly, and she snarled. She then threw a flurry of punches at me; all of which I dodge nimbly, moving my head from side to side. As I monitored my surroundings; I realized we had gathered a large crowd of spectators who circled the room, them all gazing and gasping at our display.

 _"Oh come on, getting tired?"_ I asked in a mocking voice. She snarled and threw a roundhouse, which I blocked with one arm and I pushed her to the floor with the other. Before I could do anything else, she kicked hard into the side of my leg with the tip of her cowboy boot, shooting a hot iron pain into my leg that dropped me to the floor. She lunged at me and threw another punch for my face; but I blocked and pushed, sending her back into the bar. She came at me again, and we went right back to square one, this time she started throwing kicks into the mix.

 _"Would… You… Fuckin'… Hold still!"_ She screamed as she savagely threw herself at me. I grabbed her by both arms and flung her back to the bar. She didn't stop, though. She grabbed a bunch of bottles and started throwing them at me. I ducked and dodged, some of them actually hitting some of the soldiers behind me. One even hit a soldier who had just walked right into the room, the bottle smacking him in the face and knocking him the floor.

Finally, she decided to go with bar fight rules and came at me with a broken bottle. I was ready though. As she came at me, I sidestepped and underslung my arm around her bottle side, linking with my other arm and holding her in an arm lock. She wrestled with me, kicking and stomping down at me with her big boots. I gritted my teeth and brought it to the floor, the locking my legs over hers to hold her down. It didn't stop her though; she wrestled like a Night Stalker caught in a bear trap, cursing and screaming before she set her teeth into my hand.

I fought through the pain, and held on until she finally let go. Finally after several minutes, she stopped wrestling, stopped biting, and stopped struggling. It was the liquor and adrenaline in her finally burning out. Then she began to shiver and then… I felt could tears running through my hands. For several minutes I could feel her sobbing into my arm, and I knew it was long overdue release.

Slowly, reluctantly, I released my grip. There she sat there in my lap, crying as the anger boiling hot in my veins started to drain and die. I wrapped my arms around her, gently, comforting her as she continued sobbing, my weary body finally going numb. Goddamn it.

* * *

I could feel the burn as the whiskey flowed down my throat; the sense of cold came only a little later. I sat next to the auburn colored girl, as she sipped her own whiskey, with a large amount of color leaving her body, leave her pale with grief.

 _"I've been drinkin' ta forget."_ She said slowly and painfully. As we both finished our glasses, the bartender immediately refilled them. I had seen the look in her eyes; the auburn girl had probably been here a while and she was glad someone was actually getting her to open up.

 _"Forget what?"_ I asked. She seemed to bury her face in the glass as she replied:

 _"My caravan was burned to cinders. So fuckin' close ta Vegas you could've touched the wall."_

 _"Burned? Even the cargo?"_

 _"Yeah. Everything is ash now."_

 _"Who do you think it was?"_

She downed another glass, but seemed to just stare into it as though she was staring at her own distorted reflection… or a ghost.

 _"Legion, more than likely. They've been cuttin' NCR supply lines…"_

 _"And it seems to be working,"_ I finished, causing her to turn to gaze upon me, _"I mean, look at this place."_

 _"Held up tighter than a New Vegas virgin."_ She continued with a smile. Part of me appreciated it; the other seemed to fear it. Yet there something about her that just seemed to…

 _"Ya know, you're the first person to ask this, 'bout my story,"_ she chuckled, interrupting my thoughts, _"So why are you here, and don't tell me it's just to buy supplies."_

 _"I'm hunting a man,"_ I began with a start, removing my hat, showing my bandages, _"a man in a checkered suit."_

 _"You've the look like you're gonna kill him."_ She said, touching my bandages softly. I nodded:

 _"I am, eventually,"_ I began, motioning to the bandages, " _he shot me twice_ _. And... well, I actually died."_

 _"Died? How long?"_

 _"Clinical speaking? Doc said it was for nearly 34 minutes."_

 _"Wait… this wouldn't be Doc Mitchell, would it?"_

 _"So…"_ I replied with a smile, _"You're her? Aren't you?"_

She returned with a long, understandable smile:

 _"And I see you've met Sunny?"_

 _"So you two know each other?"_

 _"When I came here from Hub, could say they gave me a start… and a place to be when things got bad. And trust me; they did in those days."_

 _"Know enough about that. I've traveled enough roads, and it finally caught up to me."_

 _"Heh, well you're still here. And shithead better keep a look over his shoulder,"_ She grinned slightly, chuckling a little, _"Not much on this dry fuckin' orb that can claim survivin' being shot in the head."_

 _"I would gladly trade that for my memories."_

 _"Gone? All of it?"_

 _"Some. Others are coming back in pieces, like grainy images from a camera. Either way, it won't be long."_

 _"Do you know where he is?"_

 _"Nipton. According to some, he's heading up towards Novac. I'm hoping to catch up with him. So why you still here?"_

 _"That's not fair."_ She laughed embarrassed. I smiled slightly:

 _"You asked why I'm here and now I'm asking you."_

She looked back at her glass again, and sighed:

 _"I don't really know. At first, it was my caravan papers keepin' me here, but now… A few days ago, some runner from the Crimson Caravan Company told me that they were willin' ta buy my caravan."_

 _"You didn't want to."_

 _"Yeah. I mean, that's like if someone told you they wanted to buy your name, even when it's practically worthless."_

 _"I wouldn't say that."_

She looked at me again, partly out of pain and out of curiosity. I continued:

 _"Your mistakes don't make you what you are. It's what_ _you_ _make of yourself. Took me a while to figure that out. And what I see here is a tough, smart girl, wanting the same thing I want."_

 _"And what's that?"_

 _"Answers."_

She was paralyzed, speechless. Her gray eyes stared deep into my one for a time that I thought I could drown in them.

 _"I gotta ask… who the blazes are you?"_

 _"Well, the name's Gideon, Gideon Maddox. And yours?"_

I held out my hand, and after a moment, she took it in a firm, strong grip.

 _"I'm, well… I'm Rose of Sharon Cassidy."_

I cocked my head at the name, bemused but somehow not completely surprised.

 _"The plant or The Grapes?"_ I asked. She stared at me, utterly surprised.

 _"Dad's idea; said it's from that dirt pilgrim book."_

I smiled, remembering that old world book: the Grapes of Wrath. I remembered a character by that name in that old story. It seemed so long ago. We then released the shake and I had to ask that pivotal question:

 _"Novac and Vegas are pretty close, and I'm probably gonna end up heading there anyway. Wanna come along?"_

 _"What, no sweet talk?"_ She asked, grinning slyly, her blue eyes staring into mine, _"No incentives? Just like that?"_

 _"Yep."_ I nodded, _"I'm too tired to try to convince you. I'm gonna be heading out in the morning, the offer will still stand until then."_

 _"Oh why not? Don't mind trailblazin' long as we got the ammo... and whiskey. But there's somethin' else you need to know."_

 _"What?"_ I asked, having an idea of what was coming next.

 _"Nothing will happen between us,"_ she said sternly, her eyes locked with mine, _"and I mean it."_

 _"I have no doubt,"_ I replied, _"and I'll respect that."_

I then stood up and began heading to the barracks, hoping to find somewhere to sleep, my bag and gear slung over my shoulder. I then stopped at the door and turned:

 _"There's one more thing."_

 _"Which is?"_

 _"Your caravan, burned to cinders? That means energy weapons."_

 _"I figured as much. What'd you gettin' at?"_

 _"The Legion will not use energy weapons, and any other group would have taken the cargo."_

 _"So that means…"_

 _"Yeah, another caravan. Just food for thought."_

When I looked back at her, she'd become lost a sea of her thoughts.A sense of realization, anger and inquisitiveness dawned, slowly, on her lighten face. I then turned on my heels, calling over my shoulder:

 _"Goodnight, Rose."_

 _"Cass! The name's Cass."_ She called back. I smiled slightly.

 _"Cass it is then."_


	10. Chapter IX: Mark of the Legion

**Chapter IX:**

 **Mark of the Legion**

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

It was starting to become a habit. I woke early, the air still cold to the touch and the light yet to come. I could feel the aches and pains that came with sleeping in the cold, even on a mattress. I shrugged it off, and sat up, avoiding the top bunk. I then heard a familiar buzzing sound next to me, and I switched on the Pip-Boy light.

I smiled at the sight of the familiar floating ball that hovered at the foot of my bed.

 _"So how'd you sleep, bud?"_ I asked him. He shrugged, and just continued to float there. I shook it off and began gearing up for the days hike. As I dressed, my eyes constantly darted around the room, row upon row of sleeping soldiers in their bunks.

 _"So, you ready to go?"_ I asked the robot, who beeped once and nodded. We then moved out, the barracks still sounded by the snoring of soldiers and caravaners alike. I opened the door and stepped into the bar.

 _"Welcome to the world of the living, sleepy."_

ED-E was the first to react to it. He swiveled around and zoomed over in an aggressive pattern until he was within shoving distance, sounding one shrill beep. Cass wasn't even remotely fazed by this, despite the fact the floating death ball was probably itching to incinerate her. Instead she smiled at him, and even patted his armored hide like a dog.

 _"A boy and his bot. Wondered where you went to."_

ED-E was stunned… well if robots can be stunned. He swiveled his body in mid air 'till he was facing me, and shot me a confused… well, stance. Body language, or whatever else you wanna call it. I smiled slightly.

 _"Don't worry, buddy. She's not gonna take my head or anything like that."_

 _"Yet, you mean,"_ she laughed. ED-E wasn't amused. He swiveled around again and this time bore right down on her so much that she slunk back in her chair.

 _"Bot, I'm just kidding."_

 _"Beep-ze-beep-BEEP!"_

 _"ED-E, calm it down. She's gonna be travelling with us."_

He swiveled around and blurted out what I swear sounded like _wait what!?_ I simply nodded, and he then performed this dramatic downward spiral almost to the floor like he was going to faint. Cass just simply blurted out she did, ED-E then just zoomed up and stared at her with an expression that could be describe as _what the hell are you laughing at?_ Somehow understanding this just made her laugh some more until she calmed down enough to explain:

 _"Hahahahhahahehheh… ahem, sorry. I'm laughin' at you, ya disco ball. You've got 'nough drama to put the Tops to shame!"_

To say ED-E looked shocked and flabbergasted would be a total and complete understatement. But alas, Cass ended his sudden moment of petrified horror by simply coming over and patting the side and top of the robot again like a dog.

 _"'fore this is over, I'm gonna teach you a sense of humor."_

 _"Ahem… So when did you wake?"_ I asked, _"It's still fairly early."_

 _"Ah; only a little earlier than you, to tell you the truth."_ She replied. She then stood from her former position on the chair. I noticed she seemed a lot more sober than she did the previous night, and not showing the obvious signs of a hangover, but I didn't push the issue. I also noticed the Winchester 8500 up-and-over scattergun slug over her shoulder. She also had a Browning High-Power 9mm pistol in a holdout holster on her hip, as well as the knife at her other hip.

 _"Might as well get a move on."_ I said, taking the lead as we headed out the door. Oddly, I heard the sound of swishing liquid, and I turned to see Cass opening a flask. She drew a rather annoyed look upon me and sighed.

 _"Not gonna get drunk on the job. Just a nightcap."_

 _"Well it's not that. Okay maybe a little. You're sober."_

 _"Yeah? Can a girl not be sober?"_

 _"Too sober. The amount you downed should've had your face in a bowl for the day._

 _"Oh, that,"_ she chuckled, then giving me a sly wink, _"It's all in the way in the way you drink yer liquor."_

I raised an eyebrow. She just chuckled even more:

 _"Next time we run into another bar, I'll show you a trick or two with a bottle."_

 _"I'm looking forward to it."_

We then entered the gloom of pre dawn, and the sight of base just made me think of a ghost town. Then suddenly I heard a shrill whistle in the morning due. I turned to Cass and she looked as surprised as I did. I heard it again, and this time I spotted its source.

 _"Oh great, it's Ghost. Wonder what she wants."_

 _"Ghost?"_

 _"Lookout. NCR and their Goddamn nicknames,"_ she scorned while throwing up her hands into the air humorlessly, _"like Caesar himself gonna piss himself."_

 _"Wait here."_ I ordered and made my way to the woman ontop of the barracks. Each of the buildings had a perimeter of sandbags on the edges, with a ramp leading to the bottom floor. I made my way to the top, and I could see why Cass had called her 'Ghost'. She was as pale as chalk, wearing a look more akin to a cattle herder, with the exception of the wide brimmed hat and the black mirrored sunshades. She didn't look the part of a soldier, but then again, she was something else.

My gut told me right off that she was a Ranger, a civilian one at that. One could call Rangers the Bears own Special Forces, but even that was not the right title for them. They were, however, an elite branch of the NCR Military that did all the dangerous and dirty jobs that the regular trooper could not. Yet, even then there was a distinction between them. There were Patrol and Civilian Rangers.

Ghost was a civvie from the look of it. These were Rangers selected from non-military sources, and served more like specially trained lawman than soldiers. Patrols were frontline troops; easily recognizable in their brown Kevlar armor. Yet, if one underestimated even a civvie Ranger, chances were that they would be lying in grave the next day. Now one wanted an audience with me, which could never be good.

 _"You that Courier who won over Cass?"_ She asked, taking a seat in foldable chair next to table that had a high power sniper rifle.

 _"I suppose I am. What do you want, Ranger?"_ I replied in a no nonsense tone.

 _"Straight to the point, eh?"_ She chuckled, sipping a cup of coffee that just seemed to appear out of nowhere, _"What I want is to offer you job."_

 _"A job?"_ I asked. She nodded:

 _"It's concerning Nipton, go ahead and take a look at it."_

That caught my attention. I swung Lowlight over and peered down the scope at the town, which could be seen just over the horizon. It took a second to adjust the scope, but then my stomach twisted when I did. There was billow of black smoke coming from it, the type that only came from fire.

 _"It's been hit, there's no question about it,"_ she said, her voice now grave like a seer purposing danger in your future, _"there's been no traffic in the past day. What I want to know is who did it and if there's anyone left from it."_

 _"Let me guess, you want me to go look?"_

 _"Yep. Just figured sense—"_

 _"Sense I'm going there anyway?"_ I cut her off, my inquisitive glare boring into just cracked an odd smile and replied:

 _"Word travels quickly, courier. Now tell me, who do you think raided that town?"_

I peered back at the town, rubbing my chin, the thing I do when I'm thinking:

 _"With the smoke, it could be Powder Gangers. Raids like this, maybe Fiends. But there's the same problem."_

 _"Which is?"_

 _"Both prefer Hit and Run tactics. That means in and out, no real damage to the town itself. But this…"_ I trailed off, peering out to the burning town, _"This almost looks like someone's trying to send a message."_

She looked at me, questions written all over her face. She had every reason to. This looked all too familiar, and my mind troubled mind wished it wasn't what I thought it was. It couldn't be them. Not this far out west.

 _"What's the pay?"_ I finally asked. She laughed:

 _"The pay? The pay is the goddamn thanks of the whole Republic!"_

 _"Ha! Well, thanks doesn't put food on the table."_

 _"Yeah, well it does wonders for morale. 150 caps now, the rest when you get back."_ She replied, reaching into a drawer in the table and pulling out a bag and chucked it over to me.

 _"Smart."_ I complimented. I then turned and headed down the ramp.

 _"Mind yourself on the plank going down and don't get yourself killed…"_

* * *

It wasn't until we were two miles out when Cass asked the obvious. Her tone made it obvious that she already had an idea what was going to happen. I just simply nodded. As we walked on, I simply stared at the fast approaching town, the billows of smoke continuing to burn. Either there was still a lot of fuel, or someone was feeding the fire. The better part of me hoped for the former.

 _"So where you from?"_ She asked at my back, which caught me off guard.

 _"Excuse me?"_

 _"Breaking up the monotony of silence that's been building up. So, where you from?"_

 _"Montana. But that was a long time ago. You?"_

She shifted her bag and trotted over to march next to me, ED-E still taking up rearguard. She took her time but eventually she answered:

 _"California. Place where all drunk beats come from."_

 _"Can't argue with that."_

She smiled slyly, and I braced myself for the inevitable punch to the arm, but it never came. She just shook her head and laughed:

 _"Sometimes I can't figure you out."_

 _"Oh really?"_

 _"It's obvious you don't like the Republic and yet here you are; doing a job for them."_

 _"Eh. Pay's good, and I'm going there anyway."_

She cocked her head at me and gave me the _I've heard that a thousand times_ look. I just sighed:

 _"Look, I don't hate the Republic. I know there are some good folks in it—"_

 _"But you don't like them dabbling in your own backyard?"_ She interrupted, understanding. That's surprising.

 _"Something like that."_ I replied, choosing my next words with care, _"Then again, I don't much like people who find it disagreeable to leave folks be. What about you? You don't seem much like some flag waiving tomgirl yourself."_

 _"They're family,"_ she said slowly, her eyes pointing down towards the broken road we were walking on, _"But let me tell you what that means. You ever have a younger brother?"_

 _"No, a sister,"_ I said slowly, my mind searching for some unforeseen clue that my fractured brain may have held, _"But I think I get your meaning."_

 _"Well, let's just say if you did, a dumbass younger brother, say who knocked up the pastor's daughter, can't hold a job, and who's home away is a jail cell."_ She finished with a sense of passion which was more often than naught, rare to see.

 _"That's NCR?"_ I asked, suppressing a laugh at the analogy. She nodded, angrily.

 _"Yeah. There compass is always spinnin', and they try ta put a stake into everything they see. Nobodies dick is that long, not even Long Dick Johnson and he had fuckin' long dick. Thus the name."_

I raised an eyebrow at her, slightly surprised at what had just come out of her mouth. That didn't stop me from laughing:

 _"Heh, well that's good to know."_

 _"Well, you asked."_ She replied matter-of-fact like, grinning smugly. I did the only thing one could; I just shook my head and smiled back. Funny enough out of the corner of my eye; I could see ED-E just floating along behind us and he started shaking his head. I turned my gaze back to this openly vulgar, yet funny gal and found my eyes drifting right back to that pendent she wore around her neck.

 _"I need to ask, that pendant."_

 _"What, this?"_ She asked, pointing to it. I nodded.

 _"It's a little rose, actually thought it was one of Mom's old tribal necklaces. But no, it came from Dad."_

 _"Your Mom was a tribal?"_

 _"Yeah, she was from east of the Colorado, not sure from what tribe; was 'fore Caesars time, though. She walked a hellovaways 'fore she crossed paths with dad, and eventually got him to stop walking."_ She then paused, _"And that's how I came to be."_

 _"What was he like?"_

 _'Can't tell you really: just ended up walking East one day and never came back,"_ She paused again, and I knew I had stirred a very painful memory, _"Mom died waiting for him. She held off dyin' till I was old enough to be getting' in trouble with the boys. As for Dad… I just figured he got himself killed out there."_

 _"Sorry, it happens."_ I said with a genuine sympathy. She shook it off:

 _"Look, I'm not all boo-hoo about it, so save your glass for someone who's actually crying."_

 _"Well… Do you know why he went west?"_

 _"Not a clue. When he left, I was in my crib, and when my Mom passed, I was too into my teens to listen. Got his name, got this pendant, and that's about it. What about you? You got any family?"_

 _"I… don't know. I guess that's just something I'm hoping I'll find that out somewhere down the line."_

She nodded silently, and that same silence crept on for a few minutes. Then she spoke again:

 _"The man who yer hunting…"_

 _"What about him?"_

 _"Who is he?"_

I sighed, and began to think. The truth was; I didn't even know the man's name. All I had to go on was a face, a suit and a chip. Damn. That's just embarrassing:

 _"Didn't catch his name,"_ I said truthfully, _"truth is, all I've got to go on is a face an_ d _a suit."_

 _"A suit?"_ She asked, perplexed.

 _"Yeah. A pretty odd suit, too: checkered black and white."_

 _"That's just tacky as hell. But that mean's money, and money means—"_

 _"Vegas."_ I interrupted, what she was saying. She nodded and continued:

 _"Well, we know where he's goin'."_

 _"We?"_ I asked, stopping and turning to face her. All sense of any traceable humor was gone from her lightened face, her eyes, though shadowed by her hat, was completely serious.

 _"You heard me right: we."_ She began, a stern passion in her voice, _"You got me outta that damn Brahmin pit, gave me back a purpose. So the way I see things: I owe you, and I feel helpin' you catch this prick will help me chip away at that favor. And 'sides—"_

She stopped turned her eyes towards mine and smiled:

 _"I don't like soft men or soft living, both accounts of me being with you. So don't worry, we'll rattle his cage a little, and set his world on fire."_

I smiled and chuckled a little, replying only with a 'thanks', to which she just smiled some more, and took point.

 _"Soft men or soft living…"_ I mused, smiling a little. I had understood her meaning. However, before I could digress further, I smelt it.

 _"You smell something?"_ I asked, touching Cass on the arm to get her attention. She took a good whiff of the air, and she came back holding her fingers to her nose.

 _"Smoke!"_ She gasped, pulling up her Winchester in both hands. As I pulled out Lowlight, I could hear beeping and whirling.

 _"What is it, buddy? What do you see?"_

I then turned and saw, a billowing cloud of smoke coming from over a ridge. I held my fist in the air, and then pointed to the ridge. Both woman and robot nodded and followed my lead and I began ninja creeping up the hill, Lowlight pointed up towards the crest. As I advanced, the smoke started to get denser and closer, forcing me bring my shemagh scarf over my mouth and nose. I looked over my shoulder, seeing Cass doing the same with a bandana.

It seemed an eternity before we got over the crest, when we did ahead looked like Hell had touched down. The homestead was a series of adobe buildings halfway buried into the ground. Now there was only rubble, the air chocked with a thick, oily black smoke that tore and clogged at my scarf. Quickly, I took out my Vault 13 canteen and drenched the front of my scarf to help filter the toxic air. I tossed the canteen over to Cass and she did the same.

We edged our way around the compound. Then we found them. Two black, charred bodies laid at the footsteps of their home. There were more inside. They had been blasted apart; their bones become akin to the burnt rubble.

The poor bastards never stood a chance.

 _"Whoever did this is going to pay."_

Cass wasn't paying attention though. Or at least it didn't seem like it. She was on her knees, her eyes glued to the compound. But when I came over to her; I realized her eyes were observing the shifts of black sand flowing through her hands. Then her gray eyes returned to the compound.

 _"Cass? What are—"_

 _"Powder Gangers, Gideon. They're the fuckers that did this."_

I knelt next to her:

 _"How do you know?"_

 _"The powder,"_ then she pointed at the ruins, _"and the debris."_

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"Ain't TNT, Gid. Not even Frags._

" _Then what?"_

" _Powder Bombs."_

 _"Explain."_

 _"See all the powder around?"_

I did. There wasn't much, but I could see the black grains hither and nether around.

 _"TNT only works when secured and pressurized. And it and Frags wouldn't've have made such a small explosion area. Dumbasses are lucky the bombs didn't go off in their hands. They probably used tin cans as the delivery device. C'mon, there's more."_

She took point, and headed closer to the ruins. Right off I could see what see wanted to show me.

 _"There's no fragmentation. And the walls are coated with soot?"_

 _"Aw very good, young Master Hawkins,"_ she replied with another, out worldly voice that I could sum up in the title _schoolmaster, "You may very well be one with the ship."_

 _"And where the hell is that from, Professor Cassidy?"_ I asked with a laugh.

" _Ah, some old book mom liked. 'bout old raiders at sea tryin' ta find some hidden treasure."_

 _"Ah, same author as the Musketeers."_

 _"Eh?"_

 _"Never mind. So, you some kind of secretive pyromaniac?"_

 _"Well, when shitheads like these block your path with bombs, you tend ta wanna how and what they use to do it. And how to retaliate in kind."_

 _"Beep-di-beep-BEEP!"_

We both turned to ED-E, who was hovering over something in the sand. We ran over, and I nearly stopped cold:

 _"Tire tracks?"_ Cass exclaimed, _"Nobody, and I mean nobody, has anything that drives in this place."_

 _"Outside of New Reno and northern California, no. But…"_

Slowly, we followed the tracks.

 _"Well I'll be goddamned."_

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

" _Any chance you could fix this thing?"_

 _"Maybe."_

 _"Ya know I was kiddin', right?"_

 _"I'm not."_

 _"Wait, you're tellin' me you can fix this thing?"_

 _"Like I said, maybe."_

We were standing in a fuckin' garage. I kid you fuckin' not, a garage. Tools and hydraulics, winchers and generators dotted either side of the room on shelves and worktables. But above it all was this ol' rusty green Land Rover with a tarp cover fer roof, guessin' a'63 model remake, mebbe. I had seen plenty up north at Vault City years ago when I had tried my hand at auto racing.

It hadn't exactly worked out all that well. But it'd been a good year and a good skill ta know.

 _"Let's lower it."_

The Rover was winched high above us by chains that looked they hadn't been moved fer fuckin' ages. So we slowly lowered it to ground, the weight of the damnable thing straining the chains. They groaned so damn madly I got the feelin' I was 'bout ta get pancaked! But it didn't, and I didn't end up on the floor, so guess that's a bonus.

 _"Let's see what's in here."_

Then Gideon popped the top and poked his head in ta see what's what. I popped mine, wantin' ta see what this supposed genius had in mind. The engine was a jumble of cabals, batteries and patch work all over a long rusty frame. This thing was old. It was more patchwork and handjobbed than a goddamned frontier gaudy house.

But then again, I knew next to nothin' 'bout engines.

 _"I think this could work,"_ Gideon commented, interrupting my inner stewin'. I shot 'em a glance.

 _"Yer serious?"_

 _"Mmm hmm. It's not much to look at, but I think I can finish what they started."_

 _"What needs to be done?"_

 _"Well, most cars ran on fission generators."_

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"So it looks the guy went around that by installing these fission batteries instead. Granted you would need a lot of them, and would need a couple sensor modules, plus a few odds and ends."_

 _"And a starter right? Something to trigger the generators inta workin'?"_

 _"Something like that. Mmm, I'd need an independent energy source to kickstart this baby."_

Then that's when somethin' caught my eye. I looked over and there sittin' on the shelf was a couple of yellow colored cylinders. I had seen those before.

 _"Bingo."_

 _"Sorry?"_

I reached over and grabbed 'em. When I did, I noticed a little symbol on the top. It was an R+ in a circle. Microfussion Breeders. To the best of my knowledge, which ain't great, they were self contained batteries that could regenerate lost energy. Damn, now I sound like some fuckin' Brotherhood Scribe. When Gideon saw 'em in my hand; his single eye practically glowed.

 _"That'll work. Hey ED-E mind giving me a hand with this?"_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _C'mon baby, start."_

Then as I turned the key and pressed the gas to the floor for the fifth time; she roared to life. I turned to Cass who was hanging on the shotgun side door. She had the look of true and unexposed joy.

 _"Mister Maddox, I think I'm in love with you."_

 _"Oh really?"_ I asked with a sly grin. She shook her head once, her smile spreading even further.

 _"No. Just yer magic fingers."_

 _"That just sounds wrong."_

As she passed the door, she replied:

 _"Meant ta be. But you catch my meaning?"_

 _"Mmm hmm."_

I then stepped out of the Rover, grabbed my bag and tossed it in the back seat. Then I grabbed Lowlight and placed that between the stick and the seat. Well enough and close enough. Then as Cass was stuff her gear next to mine; I realized something. I look at the speedometer, noting its speed at 60mph. I then looked at ED-E:

 _"Can you match that speed?"_

He stared at the speedometer and then seemed shrug in midair. Then his internal speakers activated:

 _" Oh no no and no! Always going… so very faster than I can a'manage! "_

 _"He could just hang in the back seat!"_ Cass called from the other side of the room. I nodded and opened the door. He zoomed right on in and practically made himself at home; snuggling himself into the seat. I took one last look at the room, and then climbed in.

 _"Ya ready to rock?"_

 _"Oh… yeah."_

I then shifted the stick and hit the clutch and gas all in one very smooth motion. The Land Rover pounced through and rode over the hill for a good six feet before hitting the sand.

 _"Wahoo!"_ I roared in time with Cass's _yahoo!_ as the Rover blasted through the loose sand like a mad dog chasing its tail. What made it even more enjoyable was the loud cry from ED-E in the back that echoed from my unleashed techno-obsessed joy let run wild. Finally I hit the brake with slowed ease and brought us to a halt that blew up one massive sandstorm.

 _"Phew! That was fun!"_ Cass chuckled as she blew sand from her rattan hat. I tightened my grip on the wheel, my eyes set against the rising backdrop of noon. All the memories of my hands held tight and taught against the wheel, the growl of engines and the roar of wheels set against the tarmac. Then came the rest: the black image set to an endless background of the night, only burning away to roaring flame of orange and red that seemed to devour everything in that still image. Worse were the endless screams crying out my name; only to punctuate by the crack of gunfire and sickening report of them ending their lives.

They blotted out everything. Like an endless tidal wave; they drowned out my reality. My entire body shook like it had an onrush of electricity flowing through me; my organs like they were being gripped by a vise. My lungs clamped shut. I tried to scream but I couldn't.

Then I woke to Cass slapping my face:

 _"Hey wake up! Wake up goddamnit! Gideon fer fuck' sake-!"_

Before she could slap me again; I caught her hand in mid strike. I stared up at her, for a time not understanding why. I felt totally numb. I couldn't feel Cass moving me. I only knew because I could see her doing it.

 _"Are you alright?"_

Her voice felt miles away. My entire world sounded like a giant echo chamber, my body feeling like I was lying on a bed of needles. For entire minutes; I felt as though I couldn't speak. Instead I focused my mind upon clearing the screaming and the fire away from its dark corners. I could feel the heat, the memory still lurking in the cobblestones of broken dreams.

Finally, when my mind was at peace; I took the effort to stand. My legs felt wobbly and I needed both Cass and ED-E to get me back on my feet. They then shifted me onto the driver's seat where I could take a second to get my bearings…

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

I stared at 'em for a long while, waitin' fer Gideon ta break outta his trance. He was pale, his breathin' labored and rough. He looked like he was in shock. I had seen enough soldiers after Hoover ta know the look. Something 'bout driving that Rover probably triggered something or other in his mind.

I'm no shrink, but I know what a bad trip down memory lane can do to a person.

 _"Cass?"_

 _"Hey jerkface. You okay?"_

 _"Better… drippy sipper."_

 _"Ha ha ha, very funny one eye. But seriously…"_

 _"But seriously I'm okay."_

 _"You didn't look like it. What happened? You run afoul a bad memory?"_

 _"I think so,"_ he replied, closin' his one eye as though he focused on what he saw, _"I just felt… hot. Like I was burning and I heard screaming."_

 _"Screamin'?"_

 _"Yeah. They were in pain. They kept calling my name, and I felt… trapped. Like I want to help but I couldn't. It overwhelmed me."_

 _"Well as yer prescribed doctor in law and all that mighty fine shit; I recommend lotsa whiskey and pills!"_

 _"I'm being serious, Cass."_

 _"And so am I,"_ I replied in my all the concern I could give 'em, holding him by his shoulder, _"look we can wait here if ya want. Let you catch your strength…"_

 _"No,"_ he interrupted, his eye taking on a sort of ferocity I'd only seen in men wantin' ta kill, _"I have to keep going. Don't worry about me, I'll get over it."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I knew Cass meant well, but I couldn't wait. I knew that Nipton was just a scant ten miles down the road. With the rover we could make that in less than half an hour. For all we knew we'd catch them just as we hit the town. But I knew we weren't going anywhere without first checking the Rover.

The first sign of luck was the fact that the wheel axels and underbed of the truck wasn't rusted. If it were; then we'd be in some trouble. In addition to that; there were dozens of replacement parts scattered throughout the garage, and a large array of prewar rubber tires. Whoever had built this place had probably raided some off the beaten path autoshop or somekind of warehouse.

All of it looked… new. Well, new as it could be. The Rover itself was relatively big inside. Beside the passenger seats, as well as the driver and shotgun, it also three more seats in the back built into an L shape. That remaining slot of to the side looked like it was meant for a spare tire.

The back hatch also had a tire spindle attached to it. Effectively speaking we could take two. More than anything else the tires were the one thing that had to be protected more than anything else. So we loaded up the two, plus an arrangement of tools and motor oil which we stored in a cabinet under the back seat. With that, we slung our bags in the back and climbed in.

The screech of rubber on tarmac was a sound I thought I would never hear again.

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

" _So I gotta ask. How the hell do ya know so much about cars? Hell even how to drive them?"_

 _"My uncle Max, back in Montana,"_ Gideon shouted over ta me, roaring over the sound of the wind, _"used to run an old garage out of town. Used to sneak out at night to go see him, and he taught me everything I need to know about how to manage the stick."_

I gave him a funny look.

 _"Why at night?"_

 _"My pa. He and Max never saw eye to eye, and it only got worse when my mom died. Used to call him Mad."_

That was when the bot in the back beeped out somethin'. I don't know what but it seemed ta bring a smile to Gideon's lips.

 _"Yes ED-E. That kind of Max."_

 _"Do ya know what he's sayin'?"_

 _"No, well sort of. I mainly go off of the way his beeps and cherpins sound like. Meh. For all I know he's saying 'Hey man, I'm a giant disco ball who needs to be pitched!'"_

And with that he busted from the back seat, soundin' like some shrill old hag shriekin' her damn guts out as he tried ta bulldoze him! I held my hand out and blocked the floatin' ball in a maneuver I'd seen in a reel 'bout three angry plumbers. I smiled at the ball as he tried to push past my hand, and laughed at him:

 _"He was just foolin', ya big giant tin ball."_

He stopped and starred at me. Then, as if the thing had a fuckin' body it shrugged and then echoed music:

 _" Oh, oh. Do you really think me so? Am I just a thing… to kick aside? "_

 _"What, no! That's not what I said!"_

 _"Hey, don't do this while I'm driving. Oh boy."_

Then Gideon hit the brakes.

 _"What is it—oh, that."_

Though the desert was flat, only the Black Mountains ta the left, the town of Nipton practically snuck the fuck up on us. It looked like some damn Cazador going straight fer yer guts 'round lowtime, sun makin' him look like one mean-as-hell shadow. I reached my hand down to the scattergun 'tween the seats, and yanked it free. I then opened the feeder tubes. I nodded at the sight of the two twenty gauge shells, an' closed it tight.

That black, oily smoke was still there. Hell, it seemed ta be growin'! Like if someone was sill fuelin' the fires fer whatever reason. As I stared: I could feel a fear growin' down in my guts like a bad case of tequila worms. It gnawed at my insides, but I ignored it.

I peered at Gideon, the magnificent smartass who had violently swept me off my drunken feet. A part of me seemed ta grow in some kinda weird anticipation of him; the other was that damnable sense of guilt that was playin' over and over in my head. Guilt over knowing what was coming, because of me. People who stuck around with me just got the shit end of things. I had met many of 'em over the years, some of 'em nice, most of 'em dicks, but he seemed ta be neither… or both.

Either way, I feared what would happen to him, especially around me. Everyone I knew that was ever close to me dies. Mom, my friends back in Redding, my caravan: Jim Marro, Clarence Mare, Klar Goff, Mark Toms and… Johnny. Johnny Navarro: that charming, dark and heavy drinking point man. We never did anything about it all, but he… I just wish…

Ah fuck it all! I reached into my jacket and pulled out the flask, takin a good ol' swig. There's no fuckin; point of going back now, back to my old pains and failures. They're dead, all of them. All bunch of ghosts now.

I can't bring 'em back, any of them, so why the fuck am I carin' about what happened to 'em all!? Why the fuck should I!? I caught myself on that last verse, it was like the other side of me, the one who knows what is right, was talkin' back to the little girl, that scared little girl in me. I should care. They were my friends, my family.

I didn't lose 'em, not any of them, not even Mom. Something took them, tore them from me. Now I've got to do the decent thing, the Christian thing as Mom would say, and put 'em ta rest. None of 'em, not one, walked out on me, even when they had every right to. So it was my turn to honor them; honor their memory.

Perhaps all those reason is what made me look at Gideon, the man who cheated death. Looking at him made me think of Mom, somethin' she said to me years ago. There are three people in this world, she'd said. There were the simple folk, the ones who only wanted to live yet lived in the shadow of fear. Then you have yer shitheads, the fuckin' bogeymen of the world who embraced that fear.

Then you have the third kind. They're the ones who do not fear, do not shake. Who gladly stand their mighty fine ground with smile on their faces. They are the sheepdogs of the world. And they're the ones you send to kill the fucking bogeyman.

Everything 'bout Gideon, from his build to the way he sat, the way his eye watched the horizon and then back to the present, even to the way he held the steering wheel, reflected what he was. He was a warrior: that gutsy-as-hell sheepdog in the world of wolves. Then another word came to me from an ancient story about some oriental swordsmen, a Ronin. An aimless killer that only needed a task ta put him back on that road.

As I looked further, I could see the hairs on the back of his neck stand; sweat pourin' down all 'bout him. His face held no emotion, no fear… I knew he was doing it for me. Yet, my gut told me that somehow, someway, he knew what were walking into. He then turned his gaze ta me, and I knew he knew that I'd been watching him. Through the glasses, I knew he was staring me straight in the eyes, and then he smiled.

I would never forget that smile, as my thoughts wandering to the town ahead…

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I parked the Rover behind a dune about a quarter of a mile outside of town. I drew Lowlight and started walking:

 _"We'll go in on foot from here on out. Now I have no idea what we're going to expect, but either way, be on your toes. Don't be afraid to fight, but don't be trigger happy either. Remember, there may be townsfolk in there, so if worst comes to worst, check your fire. However, nobody shoot unless I give the word, clear?"_

Cass nodded and readied her shotgun. ED-E beeped once and the audible sound of his laser cannon coming online sounded in the late afternoon air. I took point and quickly we made our way forward. The town of Nipton laid ahead of us, the unmistakable stench of burning rubber, wood and—

 _"Oh God, that smell,"_ Cass gasped at the atrocious aroma, _"is that—"_

 _"Flesh."_ I answered. That final clue made my stomach twist as though it had been stabbed by a hot-bedded knife. I tightened the grip on my rifle, and pressed on forward. Nipton was a strategic trading town and easily defendable. A high barricade of about twelve feet made up of wrecked cars, trailers and generally anything that could come to hand surrounded the town; which was also built with its back to a high stone hill.

As we approached, I noticed only one road leading into the town, which brought up the question: if this place was attacked, then why the hell were there no traces of a struggle, blood, scorch marks or even bullet holes? Instead of the obvious signs, all we got was the rising plume of black smoke. Plus the unnerving silence. Not even the crickets were chirping. That was then quickly broken a second later.

Out of the shadow of the town came running a man wearing no shirt and no pants, only his skivvies; of which I did not want to remark the condition of. I raised my rifle on man, my iron sights trained on his forehead. He kept on running, waving his arms and yelling like a maniac:

 _"Yeeaaaah! Who won the lottery? I did! Smell that air, man! Couldn't ya just drink it like booze!?"_

My eye went to Cass, who seemed as confused as I was. I then heard ED-E beeped a question, which was more than likely permission to engage. I kept my aim on the blathering idiot.

 _"What happened here?"_ I growled, my finger never straying far from the trigger. The man just started shaking his head, swinging around a pair of glasses that were crack and one of the temples was completely broken off, causing it to just hang from only one ear.

 _"What happened, man?"_ The loon of the goons practically screamed, _"What happen is I won the fucking lottery man! The one lottery that counts! Oh God just smell that air!"_

Like that, he took off running, waving his arms around like some fool on a jolt rush. Cass just shook her head and sighed; ED-E seemed to sulk and beeped disappointedly. I just threw that particular episode out of my mind and pressed on forward; my rifle held at 45. I could feel the fear rising in my own body, and I could somehow sense it off Cass and oddly enough ED-E. We then closed in on the main entrance of the town; the gate swung wide and opened, allowing us to cross the threshold into…

The valley of the shadow of death. In our view was a horrible scene. My breath was held tight in my lungs, Cass gasped in fear, and ED-E seemed to scream at its sight. There were rows of them: rows and rows of burning piles of tires. Upon each one, were corpses, burning corpses, at the head of this was a long pole to which the badly burned remains of a grinning, mad skeleton hanged from, the fires burning higher and higher into the plume of the smoke.

Nothing could be said, or should have been said in that moment. That silence was like a lead weight set upon ones chest: weighing him down as he was dropped into darkness; the shadows feeding off of his fear. I chose to break this silence:

 _"We've…"_ my voice breaking at the note, but I continued, _"we gotta keep moving."_

I tightened the grip on my rifle and pressed forward, my eye straining from side to side, trying to see the unforeseen threat that lurked in the shadows of a dead town. The Sensorium wasn't beeping, which in a way confirmed the limits of its range. We entered the hub of the town; with many homes and business buildings to either side of us. Quickly, we hugged the wall of the trading post and advanced down the road. Every instinct in me told me to turn around, take my companions and get the hell out of dodge, but I shrugged it off.

What I saw next, made me wish I had paid heed to its advice.

 _"Oh God,"_ Cass gasped and started to ventilate from the sight down the main street. As we walked down the streets, the horror of what we were seeing came one by one like some prewar house of horror. First were the decapitated heads, all of all ages and sexes, all mounted on spikes for all to see. Then came the true terror, the true message of things.

 _"Crucifixes…"_ I breathed. On either side of the road were indeed wooden mockeries built like a T, not as sign of faith, but for an evil punishment. Men, woman and children, all ages, were mounted onto the crucifixes with railroad spikes through each hand. They had been left there for a long time, left to bleed in agony and then to bake in the sun. The smell was terrible. Cass was the first to lose it:

 _"Who the-!? I mean who would… Just why!?"_ She practically screamed. I grabbed her by the arm, and started moving back the way we came, my eye still locked on the mounted corpses, my body feeling like it had been dipped into ice:

 _"I know who did this. We need to get out of here now—"_

 _"I don't think so."_

All three of us froze: the voice of icy silk-like malice just seemed to come out of nowhere and just as well seemed to cut through the air like a hot knife to butter. Although our backs were turned, my mind seemed to picture what was behind me, and that made my blood run cold. Man, woman and robot then turned; our weapons raised on the man who had spoke. The fear that had seemed to want to swallow me up like some evil Manta Shark seemed to wither and die: replaced by only hate. A pure, fire raging hate.

 _"He's…He's…"_ Cass stuttered the beginning of the obvious question, but the fear made it difficult to find the words to finish it.

 _"Legion."_ I growled, and the man, the monster, grinned with an unnerving smile as he and a half dozen men seemed to appear from thin air like ghosts. He approached, flanked on either side by men of similar uniforms: red uniforms under mismatched leather armor with ornate metal plates sewed into them, although a few wore evidence of ancient Kevlar armor. They all wore Black masks with the officers wearing red helmets with streaks of red horse hair that streaked up and behind them; all finished by long leather brown skirts and black combat boots. The man in the center however wore a wolf's head onto of his own, its eyes, though dulled by death; burned as bright as rubies.

His hand rested on an ornate blade, the hilt seemed to be made of some sort of Ivory, as a long red cloak flowed about on his back. He then waggled a finger at me as he advanced; seamlessly fearless of the fact I had a sniper rifle pointed at his head. Then he spoke again; his voice cold, refined, alien:

 _I wouldn't do that if I were you."_

As though to punctuate his words, a clatter of a dozen more men, all wielding Winchester Repeater rifles, machetes and under-over shotguns seemed to pop out of the shadows like some banshees of dying man's last night. Despite this, I signaled Cass to go to my left, ED-E to my right as I moved to the middle of the street with our guns pointed at the men fast approaching. I then snarled a command at Wolf's head:

 _"That's close enough."_

He stopped, not ten feet from me, and smiled again:

 _"Brave of you, most would have been cowed by the very sight of my presence."_

 _"Well I'm not most men."_ I shot back, subduing my anger for a diplomat's calmness. He just continued to smile at me, his green eyes seemed to try and pierce my psyche with their gaze, shining like the glint of a hungry fox:

 _"No you are not, one-eye. Don't worry; I'm not going to have you lashed to these crosses, with the rest of these degenerates. In fact it is a blessing is that you happened by."_

 _"And what 'blessing' is that?"_ Cass asked, matching my own tone, although I could see past this vale and see the fear in her eyes, yet she remained stoic.

 _"The blessing, rufo sunt, is I want you see the fate of Nipton. Memorize every detail of the horrors that we've inflicted upon this den of debased corruption, and then to spread the tale to every town, every profligate trooper. To tell them of the good works of Caesar's Legion."_

That did it.

 _"Good work? GOOD WORK!?"_ I snarled, taking the few steps towards the man till we were in punching distance, _"You call this good work!? You murdered innocent woman and children! You nailed them to crucifixes! You threw them into fires to burn! And you call this good work!?"_

It was then he unleashed an evil, debased cackle that rocked the air like a hurricane. He then stared right back at me; his wicked coolness set against my own burning wrath. He spoke again, a sneer set upon his face:

 _"You think that these were innocent? Cowardly is more likely. Though the people of this town easily outnumbered us, they did nothing to stop the coming penance of their moral dissolution. This was a town of whores that served all comers; powder gangers, profligate troops, even men of the mark such as me."_

As he spoke my mind wondered to his right arm at the mention of the word 'mark'. At base of the elbow, on the underside of his arm was a singed red mark. It was of a bull; the horns looped to form a circle. At the snout were the letters S, P, Q and R. This was the mark of the Legion. He continued:

 _"For pittance, the town's mayor agreed to lead the people he had sheltered into a trap. Only when the trap was sprung did they realize that they were caught in it as well. We captured them all, herded them like cattle lead to the slaughter. Then I told them, to even the smallest infant, that they were to suffer for their crimes, and then I announced the lottery."_

My mind flashed back to the loon on the outskirts of town, announcing that he had won the lottery.

 _"Each clutched their ticket, hoping it would set him free. Each did nothing, even as 'loved ones' were dragged off to be made an example of. They stood and watched as would we butchered, burned and crucified their fellows. Each stood dumb and idle as we set the mayor himself to burn with the fire under his feet."_

The grinning skeleton hanging at the foot of the burning tires:

 _"Each among them hoped that they're turn would not come. Each did nothing."_

With that he smiled, a smile of not only ego, but of satisfaction. I felt a burning wrath. And in the back of mind, a voice told me that I could not, that I would not let them get away with this. Not a fucking chance.

 _"Who are you?"_

 _"Since you asked, I am Vulpes Inculta of the Frumentarii, we who strike at the Legion's enemies from the shadows."_ He replied, the smirk replaced by a smile of self-reorganization, _"The one who teaches the harshest lessons."_

 _"Harshest lessons? You have nothing to teach. Especially… not… me."_

 _"If you feel so strongly about it, then retaliate, stranger."_

 _"Okay then."_

The Colt cleared leather. Before he could move, or even breathe: I fired directly into his chest.

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

Time had slowed down for me, 'nough to turn my head into time ta see Wolf's Head fall. Not so for Gideon: with one fluid motion, he started capping the Legionaries like a goddamn executioner! As the first hit the ground, unloading both barrels inta the closest fuckin' Crimson and blew apart his chest. Didn't have time ta reload so I went fer my Browning. Yet as I drew, probably the fastest in my life, the Crimson bastards were faster, raising their Winchester Repeaters like a firing squad: our firing squad.

Gideon roared like a dragon. He raised the Ruger and ripped in ta the Crimsons. I followed suit when somethin' load andbright flew past my head. Then one of the crimsons got fuckin' consumed in that bright light 'fore crumbling to ash! I shivered fer a moment 'froe I got the senses knocked back in me and I kept shootin'.

We must've dropped at least half of 'em when they did one goddamn thing ya never expect anybody ta actually do when the lead starts getting traded: they took cover. When ya been fightin' two-bit dumbass Raiders as long as I have, who come hollerin' and screaming at you like jolt up Brahmin to a slaughterhouse: it surprises you when the folks tryna kill you start playing smart! The 'bot gave chase and they then started taking potshots at it, the .357's kicking him 'round a seven-round drunk in a bar fight on karaoke night! But he kept gettin' back up and shootin'.

Next thing I knew, he was playing _The Sound of Silence…_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

Lowlight ran dry, so I drew the Colt and Browning and opened fire. Everything around me went mute, the only sound playing was music:

" _Hello Darkness, my old friend…! "_

I felt my hands rock with the vibration of both weapons. I was seeing red and my mind was starting to slip into the madness of battle: a deafening roar passed through my clenched teeth as I blazed my anger into the nearest targets and suppressed them.

 _" I've come to talk to you again…! "_

Suddenly I started taking fire from all sides. I felt round slice through through my shin and drop me to my knee. The pain felt like something jumped up and bit me, but I gritted my teeth and kept shooting. That was my second mistake.

 _" Because a vision softly creeping… Left its seeds while I was sleeping…! "_

Another round punched clean through my shoulder, and I fell to my back: an agonizing cry escaping my clinched teeth. As I tried to rise, another round hacked a hole through my arm, knocking me down again.

 _" Still remains… In the sound of silence…! "_

My mind was spinning, my vision blurred, yet I could see sparks flashing off of a wobbling metal thing: ED-E. I made the effort to rise, dispensing the last of my rounds into the enemy and surprisingly dropping one unlucky bastard who had popped his head out at the wrong moment.

 _" In restless dreams I walked alone… Narrow streets of cobblestone…! "_

His head busted apart like a tomato as the .45 APC round blew his brains out the back of his skull. I fired my last round, but the second one was quicker: diving to the side but still getting the round in his shoulder and knocking him to the ground. As my mind and ears began to cleared; Cass came running over with her scattergun held in one hand, her Browning in the other; screaming insults at the Mongrels that had me pinned downed with rounds pinging off the tarmac all around her. ED-E kept moving in a loop: lead hammering into his armor as he swung in front of Cass as she scurried to my side and attempted to heft my weight while trying to keep up the fire with her Browning.

 _"You're_ _one fuckin' heavy bastard, ya know that?!"_ She cursed as she dragged me back towards a door and kicked it open: dragging me inside as ED-E hovered just ahead of us. Suddenly a round bounced off ED-E's armor and ricocheting into that dark and damp place and smashing into Cass's shoulder: a sudden painful cry escaping her as she crumpled back. ED-E seemed to scream in response with one long shrill song. He advanced and incinerated a Legionnaire who had been stupid enough to try his patience. Despite the pain, I went to one knee and dragged Cass further into the building.

 _"How bad is it?"_ Cass asked, her voice revealing the pain she was in. I gazed at the bloody hole, relief flowing through me seeing that the bullet had passed through her, not lodging in her shoulder as I feared.

 _"You'll be fine."_ I replied, my voice revealing the pain I was in, yet that didn't stop what I was about to do. I reached into one of the pouches on my gun belt and pulled out a syringe with a gauge at its head. She struggled: blocking me with her hand at the very sight of it, but I brushed it away and jabbed the syringe into the bullet hole and delivering its contents with a loud hiss. She screamed as the Stimpack worked its magic: the medical cocktail speeding up her body's metabolism tenfold and the entry scabbing over within a minute and a new layer of skin growing over a little more after that.

 _"Bastard!"_ She cursed, no doubt the terrifying pain ebbing into a constant soreness. I simply nodded and removed two more of gauged syringes. There was one problem with regular Stims: they worked on only areas of delivery. I breathed out slowly, placing a leather knot in between my teeth and then jabbed the syringe into my leg. Red hot pain roared within me, like my blood had been set on fire.

I bit down on the knot, a scream escaping my clinched teeth as I jabbed the second Stimpack into my shoulder and my mind filled with naught but pain with my body going slack as my hand shot forward and clutched onto something with an iron grip. When the worst ebbed away a minute later I realized that I had been clamping onto Cass's hand, which I just as quickly released. I spat out the leather knot: one side having been bit all the way through and instinctively looked up. My gaze were met by the woman's blue eyes, and they were held within their trance for what seemed like an eternity, although it was probably only for a few seconds.

 _"Ya okay?"_ She asked. I simply shrugged my shoulders and shook my head:

 _"I've had worse."_

 _"Yeah. You look it."_

The sudden report of rounds smacking against the door, and my armored doorman brought the two of us to reality. I got up to my knee, reached around and reloaded the rifle and my pistols, throwing the empty mags into a dump pouch hanging from my side. I holstered them and drew Lowlight. I looked over and saw Cass doing the same.

 _"What's the plan, boss?"_ She asked, brushing away a stray red hair that wondered over to her eyes. I looked back at the door way, at the suppressing fire blocking the door and at my poor robot who had taken a pretty bad beating:

 _"Can't risk going out through there. Even with ED-E they'd shred us to pieces."_

 _"I reiterate my question, then. What'd we do now?"_

 _"Divide and Conquer, that's what we do."_

I turned my gaze to ED-E, who guarding the door and firing a bolt out open way, yet I suspected his wasn't jack squat. Yet, he was keeping the Legionnaires at bay.

 _"ED-E,"_ I barked, to which he beeped in response, _"overwatch and hold them here."_

 _"We're going out the back?"_ Cass asked and I nodded.

 _"We loop around, quietly. Get the jump on 'em, kill them to the last man. Then we get out of this pit."_

She nodded, bringing out her scattergun with a sense of determination. Alright, let's get to work. I brought Lowlight to my shoulder and took point, clearing the building room by room. Finally, we came across the main part of building, revealing it was a trading goods store. We also found a man donned in a blue suit, his legs smashed by what I knew had to have been a hammer.

My every instinct told me that this man was a Powder Ganger, and that I should put a bullet in him. However, I knew he wasn't going anywhere, and he was out cold. At first I thought it might've been from the pain, but then I saw four syringes of Med-X lying at his feet.

 _"Morphine."_ I grumbled. I moved past him, the audible sound of Cass spiting contemptuously behind echoed in the room. We moved past the main entrance, and slid out the side door into the street…

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

I quickly moved into my next position. The mid afternoon heat was dying away into the prelude of dusk. I slid the rifle from my back and removed my beret: stuffing it into my pocket. I went prone; moving a stone up ahead of me and I rested the barrel on top of it. I readjusted the scope, mentally checking the wind and humidity; all of which was at the norm. As I settled, I went back over the past five minutes.

I had been tracking the Crimsons ever since Novac for the past day and half. Must've spotted me a while back; sent a three man kill team to lie in wait. Found them, killed them. Cost me time though; a good half day amount of time. Finally picked up the trail again and then I spotted the smoke.

I was too late to save Nipton, but I was not too late to see what happened next: the standoff. On one side were three strangers: a cowgirl, a robot and a one-eyed killer. On the other side was none other Wolf's Head Inculta and his assassins. For what seemed an eternity; they held the other at gun point. Then one-eye pulled the gutsy thing and shot Vulpes.

Then they opened up; going from the street to the shop with the strangers pinned down. Yet, I had the feeling that one-eye was going to try something smart. I would've. So I moved to cover the alley leading out from the back entrance. I got there in time.

A black barrel popped out from the door. Cowgirl and one-eye sweeping left and right; him taking point, her taking rearguard. Smart. They moved down the street; watching the shadows. Then I realized how slow I've become.

A hand swept over and snatched the cowgirl. One-eye turned, fired, then got ambushed…

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

As I advanced, my mind chastening me for being so stupid, so slow, I felt something grab my rifle. Before I could so much as turn; a heavy hand plowed into my face and my vision was sent spinning. I was then plucked from my feet and swung into a room; my back hit something hard, something made of wood. As my vision started to clear; I saw what I was up against: big bad wolf and his three little pigs.

 _"Can't we just talk about this?"_ I asked stumbling to my feet. The big guy just scoffed through his mask, the goggles obscuring his eyes and adjusted his feet for what I knew had to be the takedown punch:

 _"Typical, profligate. You fight with words not with your fists! "_

Then suddenly it came swinging. If I had been slower, the blow would have probably killed me, but I saw this one coming. As his fist shot through the air, I dodged my head and body to the side, avoiding the punch. Then in that split second that followed, I grabbed him by his uniform and threw him off balance, causing him to go toppling over what had turned out to be a saloon bar. The next thing I knew I had another fist in my face, sending bowling over into a table.

He came in for another punch, but I ducked in and under his arm, delivering a gut shot and then followed with an uppercut. I then delivered a powerful frontal kick to his midsection which sent him flying backwards. Then I grabbed a chair and smashed it into unlucky number three, knocking him to the floor and splintering the chair to pieces. Then I swung my fist to down number four, but this one was ready. He blocked me and then delivered a cheap shot and then followed up with a round house which sent me spinning right back into the table.

As he advanced, I blocked his next blow and smashed a bottle over his head. As he started to stumble back, I drew the knife from my boot and finished him off; driving the blade in between his ribs. Shock and anger both registered in his eyes as he clutched at me with an iron grip, blood drooling down his open mouth. Finally, gravity did her work and he slumped to the floor, a pool of blood beginning to form around him. The others started closing in for the kill. I pointed the blade at the big guy, causing him to freeze as I did the only thing I knew would save my life:

 _"How about we die with dignity then?"_

They all looked at each other, and then finally nodded. I slammed the knife into the table and began the ritual.

 _"A trial by combat then, Profligate. May your blade chip and shatter."_

They all drew their own blades; long nine inch black pangas with crude handles wrapped in rags and leather, and slammed them into a table in front of them. They then proceeded to strip off their armor and remove their gun belts. I proceeded with the same; removing my coat, hat and belt, placing them on the table next to me. Then they removed their masks, revealing bald… boys. Each one couldn't have been more than eighteen, but I could see through their eyes the mark of the bull branded on their souls, stripping whatever innocence they may have once had and replacing it with hate.

Each one was shaven bald, paled skinned, the marks of their brutal livelihood dotting their faces. I knew that many of the Legion's ranks were made up with boys like these; taken captive and turned into slaves in their youth, any former culture and heritage beaten from them. They were brainwashed and beaten by their instructors; turning them into submissive, yet fanatical soldiers, able to endure an ungodly amount of pain. Yet I knew they had one particular weakness; it was their pride, they were honored bound to accept a challenge, no matter the circumstances. That was something I could take an advantage of: I had called their skills into question and now they needed to prove themselves.

We then drew our selective blades and I stepped into the circle, my opponents circling me like hungry Wolves, working for the kill. My eyes rolled over each one, finally settling on the one in front of me. I dropped my hands as a dare, grinning slightly to him. He growled and swung, the panga's death whistle coming for me. In an instant, his hand sipped past my head as I moved a little to the left, my hand catching his arm and pulling him in as I slashed upward through the solar plexus and through the man's trachea. Instinctively, I knew I had less than three seconds before I felt cold steel in my back, so I held on to the dying man and spun.

My instincts were right; and the dying man served as the perfect cover. Number three had thrust his blade at me, and had lodged into number two's back. I took the initiative; dropping the dead man, his weight dragging his comrade down with him. As he was starting to fall, I followed up with a blow to his head, the pommel stone knocking him to the floor. I then swept my blade to the side, deflecting the big guy's own slash with a sparks of metal's clashing.

This unbalanced him, causing him almost to trip so I then dropped to the floor in a heartbeat and swept my leg in an arc, knocking the big guy off his feet with a resounding crash. As I readied myself with a finishing blow, I was suddenly tackled from behind. I hit the ground hard, my knife being flung from hand with the blow. I looked up and saw number three on top of me. I only had a moment to react, so I tucked in both of my arms over my head, my elbows pointed upward.

As I suspected, the legionnaire started wailing on me with repeated blows, so I rolled head to arms back and forth to block them. Then I struck, launching both arms out at the same time, blocking his incoming blow with one arm and delivering a punch to the face with other. As he recoiled in pain, I grabbed him with both hands and threw him off of me. Yet as I was standing, I felt a boot in my stomach and I was sent flying backwards, right back to square one. My back smacked against the bar with a heavy _thud_ , pain rolling right through my spine and shoulders and into everywhere else.

I looked up and saw the big guy starting to advance upon me, panga held tight in his grip. Then that's when I saw a hand reach across his shoulder and tap him gently on the shoulder. The hand had a red gauntlet on it so I assumed it was another Legionnaire, and then I saw it was a woman's hand! The big guy turned, allowing me to see the 'woman'. He just stared at her when all of a sudden she struck him with the force of stampede of mad Brahmin.

It sent him to the floor, blood drooling out mouth full of broken teeth. She then turned swiftly, catching number three's arm in mid-swing, twisting it to the side, causing him to drop the panga through screams of pain, and then she palm struck him in the chest, sending him flying into the wall. It left a massive hole in the wall where he'd impacted. Then the big guy rose and charged, howling at the top of his lungs. He jab the panga right into where her kidneys on her left side would've been.

Despite that, she just seemed to look down at the knife in curiosity, oblivious to any signs of pain. She then grabbed the man's hand slowly and forcefully pulled the blade out. She then jerked his hand up and twisted, breaking the man's wrist with a sickening _crunch._ As he wobbled on the floor clutching his broken wrist, she then grabbed him and literally threw him through the roof with only one hand! She then pulled him down, the man barely alive and then high kicked him in the chest, tossing his broken body clear across the room and into a wall.

She then turned towards me and just stared at me with expressionless eyes. Those eyes of icy blue bore an almost inhuman expression to them. I studied her; my eyes rolling all over her. She was about five-six, maybe hundred thirty with incredibly pale skin, hair like the color of gypsum. Yet that was not the stranger things about her. She wore what I could swear was some kind of some kind of dancing suit: for what old prewar magazines called 'belle'. She wore a red leather skin tight suit with clinchers at her waist.

The suit covered her entire torso, ending at the base of her collar line. They did not cover her thighs however, which roamed almost the color of milk until the edge of knees. Starting from there she wore long pantyhose's, connecting to a pair of black dancing high shoes, the heels only about an inch off the ground. She wore a pair of long, leather red gauntlets that covered her forearms until the base of the elbows, connected to a pair of half finger gloves. My eyes then rolled up to her face, her mouth cover by a satin clothe, and the hair plucked a head dress that had great lengths of red tail feathers that stood upward.

She then reached up and pulled down the satin, revealing lips as red as an oak apple and she smiled at me, like a kindly fortune teller out east. She then reached down and plucked me from the ground, and when I groaned from the pain, she reached a hand around and touched the small of my back with gentle grace. Suddenly, I felt no pain, replaced by a soothing aurora I could not truly describe. It was, however, pleasant. Truly pleasant.

 _"Who are you?"_ I asked, looking down at the woman who was a good head shorter than me, _"are you with Arcanum?"_

 _"In more ways than one, I guess I am,"_ She replied with a calming smile and a voice as smooth as Bore's silk, _"for I am his partner."_

 _"Are you…"_ I began, struggling to find the words to come, _"… an angel?"_

She then turned her head and laughed. The laugh was so much sweeter than the rippling of a mountain stream, yet so much the mocking of a vulture's crow. She then looked back at me, her eyes a blaze with a fiery curiosity:

 _"Am I an angel? Young Mr. Maddox, I did not think you so dim as to not grasp the obvious. For I am Advena: the one who has saved your life."_

I knew I should've be offended by the remark, yet the whims of it bore truth, so I shrugged it off. I went past her, reaching for my equipment and my fallen weapons:

 _"Arcanum sees so much in you."_ She spoke behind my back.

 _"What does he see?"_ I asked.

 _"A sword: one of no finer quality, one of greatest purity and faith."_

 _"And what do_ _you_ _see in me?"_

 _"A wounded soul,"_ She began, her fingers touching the spot where my heart was, _"a broken and mended heart, whose past has come to haunt his addled mind, and the future who wishes to test his spirit."_

She then pointed out the door and spoke again:

 _"I believe that our young Ms. Cassidy shall require your assistance, Mr. Maddox."_

Before I could fathom a reply, she was gone, gone in the sudden flutter of bird wings. Part of me wanted to be scared, paralyzed, to gaze at the mockingjay that had scolded me yet had saved my life. Then the animalistic side of things: the battered warrior within me ordered me not to not dwell in the past, to soldier on and carry on with the mission ahead. I fed a fresh clip into Lowlight and sheathed my combat knife. I tucked the weapon into my shoulder and made my way through the carnage that lay at my feet.

As I approached the door I stopped and listened, opening my mouth slightly, waiting for some indication of what laid ahead. At first, I heard nothing. Then that's when I heard the muffled cries of a struggle to my left. I swung my weapon left and right up the street, looking for someone so bold and foolhardy to want to try his luck. I saw nothing, but as I made my way down the street, I could not shake the feeling that I was being watched.

Yet, by who? Were they mortal or of some unforeseen specter who had taken an interest in me for some odd reason? I shook my head, taking on the feeling by the horns and focused my attention on what laid ahead. I had taken no more than four steps from the door when the Sensorium started beeping. There was a tickmark moving ahead of me, probably at the door.

I could definitely hear something, but it sounded like—wait. Make that two—no three tickmarks. They seemed to be dropping in and out or were clumping together—wait, what the hell was that? Suddenly, there was a loud crash of splinters as a hole was blown through the door. Then a second later it was followed by a body that broke down the splintered door.

His red armor was adorned with an enormous hole, all surrounded by an army of even tinier holes around that. Then another came stumbling out, so I ended his existence in a heartbeat. I moved forward, stepping over the bodies, my rifle pointed as I paned the door; expecting more inside: only finding Cass. She was slumped against a crate: her face only illuminated by the burning embers of a cigarette bud. She took a long drawl: the smoke trailing out of her mouth, the smoke stick held low, revealing another body that lay at her feet.

This one's throat was cut. She looked up at me, and I shook my head:

 _"Sorry I'm late. Got hung up."_

 _"Same."_

 _"C'mon. The fight's not done yet..."_

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

I was relieved. Through the scope I could see them both, battered but not broken. They were moving again. Down the road, rifles ready to rock. So I shifted positions, moving down the rock face. I almost got there the same time as the others.

I then went prone, my scope adjusted eight hundred yards. There were still a little under a dozen Crimson in the valley below. I wasn't sure what they were doing. Then I saw it. They had the robot ensnared in tensile steel nets, their spears and guns on him. Perfect opportunity.

I peered down, magnifying the image. One-eye had circled around with Cowgirl at his side. He had his gun raised, but was observing them. He was waiting for the opportunity. Then he turned and looked right at me.

I wasn't sure at first. I moved my head and eyed him again. He was still looking at me. He raised his rifle and peered at me with his own scope. I tensed, then I realized he had his trigger finger off.

We just stared at each other. Cowgirl asked the question and he pointed at me. I raised my fist: signing no ill intention. He… understood, and then signed back. I pointed to the Crimson, and then signed _shoot on five after me._

He nodded, and went to position. He whispered to Cowgirl and she nodded. She looked up into the hills, but she couldn't see me though. I got ready. I eased myself into position.

I brought the crosshairs onto the Legion Decanus: a squad leader. He was easy to spot: helmets have a main of black hair. I breathed in slowly, pacing myself. Finally, I relaxed and fired…

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

The shot ranged out from the hills; a split-second later the Decanus was dropped. Confusion followed and we took full advantage of it. I rose and I opened up on the Legionaries. They didn't stand a chance; they began dropping like flies as we started tearing them apart. I dropped one close to the net who was going for some SMG: the 5.56 popping his head in a backward red explosion. Saw another get the full blast of Cass's double barrel.

Another Legionnaire was dropped; this time his head exploded in a fine explosion, the distinct report could only be that of a long barrel .308 caliber rifle. I guessed my mystery sniper had to be atleast a half mile out, and even with his elevation it would have been an incredibly difficult shot. I had an immediate respect for the man. Suddenly there was a growl: a savage, animalistic growl. I turned, my mind seeming to register the scene in minutes rather than seconds.

I turned in time, slowed by something else, to see a monster of dog, filthy and coal furred, his eyes as red as rubies. His fangs were gleaming like swords unsheaved as he had lunged, his jowls no more than a foot from my face. He was closing in: I could actually smell the rot in its mouth. Then a glimmer of metal flew true and entered the mongrels' skull, exiting out in a trail of red as it continued to fly like a rocket. The mongrel dropped to my feet, and I saw more coming.

One lunged and I slammed the butt of the weapon in its face, knocking it to the side. Then another followed so I swiped the stock upward and knocked it back. The last one was a little slower, I stepped to the side and shot the beast right into the side of the chest. The others jumped at me so I backed and preceded the same treatment to another, this time at the scruff of his neck. I then executed the last one with a round to the head.

Suddenly I felt the air whizz past my head. I rolled and dived for cover just as more lead hit the wall. Then suddenly there was a loud crackle of ozone and the smell of sulfur. I turned and an immense electrical blast erupted from ED-E, stunning the Legionaries. I raised my rifle and fired.

 _"Time ta cash yer cards early, you shitheads!"_ Cass screamed over the roar of her shotgun. Let the dominoes fall…

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

When the smoke cleared, nothin' that wasn't us sure-as-shit wasn't standing. I waded through the corpses at my feet, my scattergun held tight as we looked fer survivors. My back-hairs, though, were standing fuckin' straight. When Gideon said that there'd been a sniper in the hills, his crosshairs on us, I almost didn't believe him. Yet, when we were droppin' the hammer and deliverin' indiscriminate justice: heads started popping and I knew we had an ace up our sleeve. Whoever the hell that ace was, I didn't know

It was quiet. That creepy crawly kinda quiet that comes after the firefight like you were standin' at a tombstone. Then that quiet was broken by a loud groan. I turned around, and I saw the fucker, somehow still breathin' even with a hole in his fuckin' chest! Wolf's Head! I marched right up to him, and put both barrels in his face; my teeth clenched in a fuckin' snarl!

Fire bubbled up my guts and somethin' in the back of my head started shouting _Kill him, girl, just fucking kill him!_ But he looked up at me. He fucking grinned at me! Even with droves of blood pumping outta his mouth and turning his white skin red, he just kept fuckin' grinning! Then I understood: he wanted me ta kill him, and that made my soul feel a tad bit colder.

Then I felt a hand on my shoulder, findin' it belonged to Gideon. I eased back, and he stood over the dying man. They seemed to stare at each other for what seemed an eternity. That was ended with a loud _flick_ , and the knife was in his hand. He reflected the light from the dyin' sun as he took a knee: his blade held over the fucker's throat.

 _"This…"_ Wolf's Head choked, _"This won't change anything. One day… one day soon… you will join these wretches… for the vengeance of mars can never be… sated."_

Gideon just smirked at him:

 _"You can tell him that when you meet him."_

Then his hand came up with a black cylinder.

 _"Flashbang!"_

I shielded my eyes, but my ears got the rest of it. Fer the next couple-a minutes, my head felt like someone was ringin' fucking churchbells in it. When I came to, Wolf's Head was gone. I looked around, 'pecting ta see a blood trail or something, but there wasn't one. It was like he just… disappeared.


	11. Chapter X: Of Cold Hearts and Minds

**Part X:**

 **Hitting the Road**

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _Legion this far west!?"_ Ghost cried; panic riding the express train of her voice, _"Surely you can't be serious?"_

 _"I am serious,"_ I then dropped the bloodied war helmet onto the table, _"and don't call me Shirley."_

 _"Is that-?"_

 _"What remains of a Frumentarii."_

 _"You killed him?"_

I did not answer, instead I just stared deadpan into the Rangers eyes. There was a mixture of fear, envy and disbelief in them, but I could not really blame her. I was tired, every part of my body ached from fatigue and injury, made worse by the drive back to the outpost. My mind reflected back over the past several hours. The moments after the Wolf had escaped.

My Mystery Sniper had left; disappearing into the hills away, but not before he left me a final clue to his identity. I had watched him through the scope, though I could not make out the actual details of his face I still had quite a bit to go on. The first was his weapon. The way it was used and the caliber meant it had to be some Remington Bolt Action; more than likely a military issue. Second: the man was actual military, or atleast former.

More than just his obvious skill: he knew operative sign language. Unsurprisingly; not many people in the Wasteland outside of the NCR or other paramilitary organizations know the speech. Yet the final clue was his cover. I could see the red straight off, more than likely being a beret. I then put the pieces together: a sniper, more-than-likely ex-NCR operative and the red beret.

There was only one outfit in the NCR military that wore red berets and trained snipers: that being the First Reconnaissance Battalion. I knew, however, judging from the obvious lack of bulk-of-equipment; he could only have been on the move for a day, maybe two. That eliminated any NCR military firebases: the most obvious being Camp Forlorn Hope or Camp Gulf by Lake Meade. I also knew that 1st Recon was stationed at Camp McCarran: the old airport in the Vegas ruins. That further illustrated my point of the man being a retiree.

While he approached from the north, I knew Searchlight had been destroyed over a month ago by the Legion. That left only one town and one possibility: Novac. Ironic that I was now heading there: for Checkered Suit and the Khans were not in the body pile at Nipton. We searched through them, and then ED-E cremated the bodies. We then searched the entire town; finding every sort of odds and ends in there.

Cass describes it better:

 _"Robots? Giant Goddamn Radscorps? What's next: a queen Bloatfly? This town is just weirdo central."_

Our true struck of luck came when we broke into the mayor's office. There I found a still functioning pre-war computer: a MicroWorks ABM terminal. Hacking into the personal files was somewhat tricky, but eventually the information I wanted rolled off the black screen in green letters. The mayor was a scumball from California: taking an already unfortunate town and turning into a gaudy house; using whores and other incentives to play cupid for every faction out there including the NCR, Powder Gangers and Legion. He made mention of a group of strangers (of which he suspected were Khans) that had left town in a hurry, about two days ago.

Then I found the contents of a deal he had struck with the Powder Gangers. They planned to capture the NCR soldiers in town and ransom them off, but keep the gear. The mayor would have gotten a 30% cut. Then the mayor made another deal: this time with the Legion. Same idea; just it would be both the Troopers and the Gangers caught in the trap.

Then we interrogated the surviving Powder Ganger. From what he told us: one minute they had the Troopers ensnared and then the whole town was caught in the very same trap. The Legion used tear gas and other methods to herd the town all together; then began the lottery. Most were either burned on the tires or were crucified; except for the last fifteen. Some were given the opportunity to fight for their freedom, while most were enslaved depending on what place in the race they came in. The Ganger in question came in second: he was allowed to live but they destroyed his legs with hammers, while the idiot we ran into at the entrance of town was allowed to live completely untouched.

Then began the final verdict. This Ganger and his friends were the ones who had firebombed the farmhouse. I had wanted to kill him. Cass wanted to take a hammer and start working on the rest of his limbs. Yet, I decided against it.

The man was a junkie: the shakes of withdrawal was there; so I decided to give him the appropriate death. I took psycho and added it to an overshot of morphine. He died in pain; drowning in his own filth in a little over a minute. Then ED-E incinerated him as well. We took the heap of smoldered remains and buried it, easier done with ash than with bodies.

As it turns out, the Legion had burned most of the goods in town as well, but we were able to scavenge a few things. I was able to replace my pants with a near identical pair, as well as my jacket. Aside from the bullet hole(s), it had taken multiple rips and tears in the fight. I replaced it with a well made, if faded leather jacket. Cass however had stuck stubbornly to her suede jacket, even with a bullet hole through the left shoulder.

We found several transport bags to which we stored the loot, as meager as it was. The true prize had come from the Legionaries themselves. We were able to scavenge most of their weapons and gear. Some of it was old, some of it new, but I knew they would fetch a good prize. Unfortunately, the Legion's Kevlar and other more useful gear were ruined in the gunfight.

 _"Shame,"_ Cass commented, _"would've caught a decent bundle of caps."_

Here I was, back into the present, back at the outpost delivering the worst possible news one could hear. Ghost just stared back at what used to be the town of Nipton and just sighed, letting out her frustrations and fears all on the table.

 _"That's not outside the border, they're moving in. I've faced them before, never have I saw-"_

Her voice broke in mid sentence, and I knew why. The Legion were boogiemen, the soldiers sent to face them were sentenced to worst time of their lives. Before now, I hadn't even heard of any true Legion incursions over the Colorado River, with the notable exception of their base at Cottonwood Cove but they had been there for years.

 _"Did… did you know anyone in Nipton?"_

 _"No… Nipton was shithole, but… they didn't deserve that. No one truly deserves the Legion."_

Part of me wanted to disagree, that some do truly deserve that sort of punishment. Yet, my mind went back to the dozen who had been strung up to die the worst possible way. As my eye closed, the image of a little boy, maybe 11, strung up with the rest of them. No: no one truly deserves that kind of death. No one, save for one: the Legion.

 _"So what are you going to do?"_

 _"Push what happened to my superiors, maybe get us off our collective asses and go hunting."_

 _"Maybe this will help."_

I then reached into my pocket and pulled out a clumped fist. I slackened my hold, loosening one of them: dogtags. She took them, pain and anger drawn in the stretches of her face. My mind flashed back to the final of the crucifixes: the boys from California who had been sent a world away and now were never going home.

 _"They should listen. But I can't guarantee it. I can guarantee this."_

She then took my still outstretched hand and dropped a bag into it, the clinking of metal confirming my payment…

* * *

" _What's the word?"_

 _"As you expected,"_ I replied as I climbed into the driver's seat, _"shit promises and pay."_

I tossed the bag over, watching as Cass emptied its contents over the dashboard and meticulously counted the amount.

 _"It's a hundred and fifty, Cass."_

She turned her head all so slightly, and shot me _not one more word out of you_ look. She then went back into her count.

 _"Three hundred caps,"_ She replied with a sigh, removing her hat and placing it over her knee, _"not worth dyin' over, Gid."_

 _"Heh, well we're still here aren't we?"_

 _"I'm being serious here. What the fuck happened back there?"_

 _"They got what was coming, Cass. Would you have had any different?"_

 _"Maybe, just maybe I wouldn't have taken my time killin' the goddamn Wolf's Head. You saw what those fucks did back there."_

The anger was back. The blood curdling anger that had erupted a gunfight that I had nearly taken my fool head off. I could even see the slight, red fragments growing on the borders of my vision. I wanted to escalate. I wanted to do something that I knew I could never take back.

That is when the fire died. I regained my control; the anger slowly dissipating like demented spirits into the darkness. I closed my one, good eye and sighed; letting all my frustrations and rage vent out of my tired body. The aches and pains of an hour past returned all the stronger, but in a way I was glad of it. It reminded me I was still human.

 _"I know,"_ I replied finally, _"I was an idiot back there and I almost got us killed because of it. But I don't regret what happen because of it."_

She stared at me for a while. I knew from the pools of her blue eyes that she was going through the same thing I was not thirty seconds ago. She relaxed, and drew her head over her knees.

 _"This ain't over, you know that right? He won't forget what happened."_

 _"I know. But that's something for tomorrow, not today. Now let's go find a drive off so we can get some sleep…"_

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

We enter the canyon trail, old memories of the dead flowin' through me like the goddamn Colorado. More than anythin'… I wanted ta be strong, ta shrug off everything else an' move on, like everythin' else. But every time I close my eyes, I could only see all those folks slowly dying in the worst fuckin' possible fuckin' imaginable. But that ain't just what scares me, though. It was Vulpes: Mr. Fucking Ice Cube with a fucking cherry on top. Even when Gideon had the silver to his throat: he'd just kept on smiling like none of it fuckin' mattered!

I kept going back to the crosses. I couldn't get it out of my head. I couldn't understand the cruelty: the pure fuckin' evil it took ta do what those fuckers they did. I just couldn't understand it. It was like a billowin' storm had made its nest over my head and it wouldn't stop fuckin' raining.

But like the sun, lookin' way over at Gideon seemed ta chase 'em all away. He was brooding 'bout something an' it drew me even closer to him. He'd swept me offa my feet, and here I was ridin' in somethin' I never thought I'd be in again. But at the same time, I knew next to nothing about him. But ta be honest, his past, as interestin' as it would be ta hear, ain't what made him what he is:

 _"Your mistakes don't make you what you are. It's what_ _you_ _make of yourself."_

His words kept getting' knocked back and forth in my fucked-to-shit little mind. When he was ready; when he had the cards ta play: he would reveal his past. Until then… suddenly he hit the brakes and I knew somethin' was up.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

Ahead, we found the bodies near a bend in the trail. There were two, face down with no heads to speak of next to a long rusted wreck of a trailer rig. They were rags, their sexes could be seen right through them and they looked completely harmless. Harmless, until we found the straight blades in their sleeves.

 _"Odd."_ I commented. I looked over at Cass; who was looking around at the land then she shook her head.

 _"Not so much. See those rocks over yonder? Follow me."_

She trotted over to a cluster of boulders across the road. When I got there, I saw what she meant. There were three bodies there: all of them well armed and wearing leather garments.

 _"And up there too."_ Cass gestured up to cliff face past a hill with her shotgun. I looked up and sure enough I saw it too. There were another three bodies up there.

 _"Ambush?"_ I asked and she nodded.

 _"Those scamps over there? Fuckin' decoys. The real action's here."_

 _"How'd you know?"_

 _"When you've been runnin' a caravan fer a while, you become all too aware of the worms that come with it. Every road, no matter where you are, you find the jackals waitin'."_

 _"There's something else,"_ I began, kneeling next to one of the dead, _"see this?"_

I was pointing at the enormous, and bloody, head wound that he had. Half of the face was gone and the top of the skull had been punched through.

 _"They all have them. Headshots."_ Cass answered as she observed the rest of the cadavers.

 _".308's: no question about it. And from the looks of it from a pretty long distance."_

 _"You thinkin' our mysterious sniper?"_

 _"How many snipers do we know that have come this way?"_

 _"Touché. The blood is still pretty fresh."_

 _"That means he can't be too far away…"_

" _You have got to be kidding me!"_ I cursed to myself, a little louder than I'd wanted.

 _"Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit! It's good to see you again, pardner!"_

 _"Who the fuck is this?"_ Cass half asked and half screamed.

 _"I see ye brought friends along! She certainly is a rare find and—"_

 _"Victor, stop talking!"_

 _"I'm just tryin' to make small talk here—"_

 _"Would someone just tell what is going—"_

 _"Beeti-beep!"_

With that, we all turned to face the floating robot who I had for a second forgotten he was there. He zoomed ahead of me and actually seemed to be talking with the other robot on wheels.

 _"Zzbbeet-ti-beep?"_

 _"Why I'm sorry and all, little feller!"_

 _"Wait you can understand him?"_

 _"Well of course. He's speakin' BASIC computer speech, I'm programmed to over 600—"_

 _"Again will someone tell me what the fuck is going on!?"_

I sighed, my face in my hand as I stared at the robot with the cowboy screen.

 _"This Victor, the Securitron. He's the one who dug me up."_

 _"I thought he was in Goodsprings."_ Cass replied, stating the obvious.

 _"I was. I just got the notion, a little after Gideon here left, to head to Vegas."_

 _"Can I ask why?"_ I asked. If Victor had a head, I'm sure he would have shrugged.

 _"Don't rightly know myself; guess I will find that out when I get there."_

 _"Bullshit."_ Cass snapped, funny enough at the same time that ED-E beeped something obscene. Victor's normally cheerful cowpoke face was suddenly replaced by a snarling, evil eyed man with the face of death.

 _"I'd suggest you watch yer tone with me, ma'am."_

 _"Yer changin' face don't scare me, tin man."_ Cass retorted with ice cold smoothness, a malicious smile upon her lips and her shotgun in hand. I reached across the stick and grabbed her weapon, to which she stared at me with a sense of impotence.

 _"We just survived one gunfight, Cass. I'd rather not have to go through with another one."_

 _"Mighty fine of you to keep yer woman in line—"_

 _"Don't be a kissass, Victor."_ I growled at him, _"And she ain't my woman. Why did you lie to me?"_

 _"What' ye mean?"_ He asked, putting back on his face of innocence.

 _"That job I took with the rest of the couriers? The one I was shot over? You're the one who hired us, behind the scenes!"_

 _"Now that's just the biggest crock of—"_

Suddenly he just stopped in mid-sentence, and his face was replaced by the _'Please Stand By'_ screen. He was like that for maybe a minute, and then he was back.

 _"Sorry about that pardner; must've dosed off. Well I've got to get a move on. See ya soon."_

Just like that he just rolled off on the dirt trail and onto the flattop leading out of town: the town of Novac. I just stared at him as he rolled right on off. As the sun was beginning to set, we entered the outskirts of the town. I remembered coming here once, but back then it was a lot smaller. Cass explains it better:

 _"Took the old vein a'flowin' ta Primm and shoved it over here."_

Novac was a series of old pre-war houses, prop-up tents and shanty shacks all built around an old road stop with a hotel right in the middle all along the old Highway 95. Just like Primm, it had that one special out of place thing that stuck out like sore. At Primm it was the giant roller coaster, but here it was a giant, standing green lizard I remembered some book called a Tee Rex holding a thermometer. I knew there was a shop built inside, the open mouth a platform and...

 _"I don't like him."_ Cass said, interrupting my thoughts.

 _"Hmm hmm."_

 _"And I don't trust that whole cheerful cowboy look."_

 _"Yeah you're not the only one."_

 _"You too?"_

 _"Yep. Victor didn't dig me up just out of the goodness of his heart. Somebody is pulling his strings and I've got the feeling that I'm not going to like who it is."_

 _"Ain't that usually the case?"_ She asked with a smirk. I shrugged.

 _"Yeah. Most of the time."_

I drove up onto the main road, every onlooker in sight gazing awe-like as we rode on past. Eventually, we ended up at the entrance of the motel main lobby and I parked the car.

 _"Go ahead and get restocked. There should be a well up ahead."_

 _"You've been here before? Is your memory coming back?"_ Cass asked inquisitively. I nodded:

 _"I remember coming here. Once. I dunno, maybe coming to familiar places stirs it. What about you, ever come here?"_

 _"Nah. I did most of my business Interstate 15, over by Primm, 'fore the Prison Outbreak."_

 _"That can't be the only reason it was closed. What happened?"_

 _"You don't know—God, I forgot you were under fer a while,"_ Cass responded apologetically, her eyes conveying her embarrassment as she brushed away her hair, _"no, the trouble started 'mebbe a couple of weeks ago when Deathclaws moved into the old the old stone quarry south of the old Vegas."_

 _"Deathclaws?"_ I asked, barely able to believe the news. She just shrugged:

 _"Heard 'bout it from the caravaners up north. They've completely blocked that road like if it'd been irradiated. But it was the riot that sealed the deal."_

My mind was still reeling and analyzing the worst news: Deathclaws. To some, they were just the monsters that mothers told their children would get them if they didn't do their chores. I knew, however, that they were no bogymen. They are horrible, towering devils in appearance with the strength of an army and the speed to carve up even a panicked Brahmin. Their ferocity and terror were matched only by the size of their claws.

They'd been hunted all to extinction in the East. It had taken a hundred years and well equipped hunting teams to do it. I could remember conversations with the few hunters still alive; one remarking that even when his team hefted the rare Anti-Material Rifle chambered to fire the even rarer .50 caliber round, it still took the expenditure of lives and rounds to finally bring them down. To think that the horned terrors were still somehow alive brought shivers to my spine. It was probably even worse for Cass.

 _"Ah stop worrin' 'bout terrors that ain't here,"_ Cass laughed and slugging me lightly in the arm, interrupting my thoughts, _"go and get us some rooms."_

 _"Room."_ I replied, smiling slightly.

 _"Heh, should've figured. Well go on."_

 _"Ah, silence woman!"_ I laughed and brushed her away as I stepped into the lobby, the neon sign behind me lighting the darkness with red. I peered behind me, spying the reason for the town's name. A long time ago, nine letters stood proud. Now all that remained were five: NO VAC. I shrugged it off and opened the door.

 _"Well hello there!"_ a voice, feminine, called out from inside the room, _"You just come in?"_

 _"Yeah. Just got off the road."_ I replied, stepping into the room. She was easily in her fifties, plump yet kind, round glasses orbiting eyes of brown that matched her hair.

 _"You come in with the red hair girl and the robot? Saw you two talking, so I wondered."_

 _"She's…"_ I began, struggling to describe things properly, _"…my passenger. We're heading up to Vegas."_

 _"Oh, I'm sure it'll be more than that, dearie,"_ she replied, cracking an odd smile, _"I see the way she looks at ye. Best be a good boy and treat her well, ye hear?"_

 _"Yes ma'am."_

 _"Oh such a polite boy. Now what you'll have?"_

 _"A room for two and some information."_

 _"Oh?"_

 _"You wouldn't happen to have a sniper with a vendetta? Wears a red beret?"_

 _"Oh Boone, what've you gotten yourself into now…"_

 _"Boone?"_

 _"He's one of our town's protectors. Poor dear lost his wife."_

 _"I'm sorry to hear that. Do you know where he is?"_

 _"He should be on watch now…"_

* * *

I had handed the keys over to Cass, who'd asked where I was heading:

 _"To go find our friend."_

She'd understood. I made my way to the Tee-Rex, and up the stairs leading to the entrance. When I entered, the first thing I heard was snoring. I looked down and I could see an older black man sleeping with his head on the front desk. Funny enough, he was practically buried under a pile of tiny Tee-Rex toys and miniature rocket ships.

I stifled a laugh and I noticed a stairwell going up. I made my way up and approached the door. I placed my ear next to the door and listened, hearing absolutely nothing. I opened the door slowly, a crack at a time, and peered inside.

 _"Hello?"_ I called into the empty room and I stepped inside, seeing nothing in the open maw of the Tee-Rex maw. Suddenly, I felt boots in my face and I was sent into a wall. I whirled and instinctively went to a left hand block, to which I caught the incoming blow. I immediately followed with a downward punch, contacting with the man's face and bringing in a kick for the gut. Unexpectedly, my kick was expertly blocked and I felt hard knuckles rack across my cheek.

I kept up the fight by bringing in my own blow to the face and followed up with another. He was fast and he was skilled, whoever he was, because the shadow then ducked, weaved and pinned me against the wall. I acted out of reflex: throwing back an elbow into my attackers ribs and as he backed I followed with another to the face. As he fell back, I drew my knife and closed the distance, knocking my opponent against the wall and my blade against his throat.

 _"Go ahead. Been waiting for it."_ The man practically spat, his voice low, gravely and just plain tired.

 _"Just stop."_ I replied calmly as I activated the Pip-Boy light. A red beret came into view as did the man's face.

 _"You!"_ The man gasped, staring wild eyed into mine.

 _"Yes, me."_ I replied as I removed my blade from his throat and sheaved it, backing away. My 'mystery sniper' stood and stared back at me. He was little shorter than me, maybe five-ten and a hundred-ninety with a well built body. His face and jaw were heavy built and somewhat wide with his face clean shaven. Moving up a bit past his bleeding nose were his eyes. Besides his build and cover; it was those eyes that burned with a sense of instilled discipline which told me right off of this man's past.

 _"Who are you?"_ he final asked.

 _"Gideon Maddox. You?"_

 _"Boone,"_ he replied suspiciously, looking me up and down from head to toe, _"What are you doing here?"_

 _"I've come to find the man who saved my life and the lives of my friends back at Nipton."_

 _"Yeah, ballsy of you."_

 _"You saw?"_

 _"Whole thing. You shooting Wolf's head, him escaping."_

 _"And you are a remarkable good shot. That mongrel couldn't have been easy. You First Recon?"_

With that, he reached up and touched the red beret that rest on his head. Right in the middle was a patch: a bear skull with crossed rifles and underneath that was the words _'the last thing you never see'._

 _"Obviously. And you're welcome."_

All too quickly he turned his back on me and sat heavily in what was clearly a snipers perch. He seemed to stare out at the wasteland for what seemed like an eternity before I finally headed back to the door. I opened it, and then I stopped. Ah what the hell.

 _"You have a deathwish, Boone?"_

 _"Excuse me?"_

 _"Well you said you've been waiting for 'it'."_

 _"Don't,"_ he replied coldly, turning in his chair toward me, _"You don't know me, and you don't owe me anything. Drop it."_

 _"Boone, whatever it is you're running away from, you can't just hold it in. It'll burn you up. And I don't think your wife would want that."_

 _"You know nothing!"_

Suddenly he was on his feet, his face contorted in a mask of pure, uncontrollable rage as he slowly crossed the room towards me.

 _"You know nothing about me or about Carla! Don't you ever think that you do!"_

Now or nothing. I chose to stand my ground.

 _"I know you lost your wife. I know the anger that burns in you, and it will burn you. It is a winding pit that will suck you in and whatever comes out of will not be you. You say I don't know you. Maybe that's true, but I know when a man is looking for revenge."_

As if he was frozen solid into a stone statue, he stunned speechless. He stared at me, the anger within him slowly consuming itself until it undoubtedly left a cold, hollow shell in its place. Somehow, I knew this pain. I don't remember why.

 _"Funny,"_ he replied at last, _"you wear the same look."_

 _"Every time I look in the mirror."_ I chuckled, crack my long smile. He just stared at me, trying to hide his emotions under a facade, but I knew it was there.

 _"Why did you ask? About me?"_

 _"Anytime a man saves my life, I aim to repay him in the best ways I can."_

 _"Well, you're a stranger. So that's a start."_

 _"What do you mean?"_

He sighed and turned his back. I knew he was gazing over the town, pondering what to say next.

 _"This town… nobody will look me in the eye no more,"_ he began, his voice tired and I knew was on the verge of cracking, _"nobody trust me anymore. Not sense Carla…she…"_

 _"What happened to her?"_ I asked; rest my hand on his shoulder supportively. He brushed it aside and turned to face me, his eyes conveying a remorse that was painful just to see.

 _"She's dead. I want the son of a bitch who sold her."_

 _"You think he's in this town?"_ I asked, avoiding the obvious question. He was in mourning, deeply, and I knew better than to ask how he knew Carla was dead.

 _"The Legion took her. While I was on watch. They knew the route to take, when to take her and only her. Someone only inside would know all that."_

 _"What do you want me to do when I find him?"_

 _"Bring him out here. I'll give you my beret,"_ he began, handing me his cover, _"bring him out here and put it on if it's him. I want to see him off personally."_

 _"I'll do what I can."_

 _"We shouldn't speak until after this is over."_

 _"Understood."_ I then spun on my heels and headed for the door. Then he spoke again:

 _"How did you know where I was?"_

 _"At Nipton?"_ I asked, and he nodded, _"To be honest, I don't know."_

* * *

I began my investigation with the man downstairs. His name was Cliff Briscoe and apparently owned the shop, as well as seeming to know everyone in town:

 _"Carla? Yeah I did knew her. Did Boone put you up to this?"_

 _"Just answer the question, please."_

 _"Look, I did know her. But you have to understand that most people…"_

 _"Go on."_

 _"She… she'd come from a rough place. Probably the only struck of luck was meeting Boone. He's a good man and he wanted a family more than anything else. But there was something about this town she didn't like."_

 _"Go on."_

 _"Mebbe it remind her of her past, I dunno. But she also wanted to leave, go somewhere else. But Boone wanted to stay. And sometimes she made her displeasure vocal."_

 _"Any idea who would want her gone? Seriously gone?"_

 _"Too many to count. She was a good woman, but she didn't have many friends. Look if you're looking for someone who knows, I'd ask Andy. He was on watch that night."_

Next up my list was a former NCR Ranger named Andy. He had been crippled in the line of duty and now operated to help watch the road as best as he could. As he spoke, his heavy mustache twirling a little, I watched every feature of his dark face for something suspicious:

 _"Boone always had this odd grin anytime she was around. He almost never grinned any other time. Certainly not now anyway."_

 _"What did you think of her?"_

 _"She was rough around the edges. To some, she might've put off people the wrong sort of way. But I got to know her, and she really was a sweet girl. She just wanted better for her husband."_

 _"Did you see anything strange or…"_

 _"No. And I think Boone is right. When it happened, I was dealing with some rowdy caravaners who always swing through here. Only somebody on the inside would have the proper timing to do it, because I was back in five minutes. Look there's a crackpot in town who claims to know something or other."_

I knew the two before were telling the truth, but both would've been perfect candidates for the information that would have been required to kidnap Boone's wife. So I eventually found this crackpot, or more like he found me:

 _"It was them Molerat people! Came out of the ground and 'napped her! Saw with my own two eyes. Even saw two of 'em go into that lobby building."_

The crackpot's name was No-bark, and I could straight off the reason behind his rambling state. On the left side of his head was this massive, deep scar that could only have come from one thing: a rad scorpion. He'd no doubt survived, but it had left him half past his drink. But what he said about the Lobby perked my interests. That left one last person on my suspect list.

 _"Well hello dearie! How is our fine town treating you?"_

 _"Quite well. But I'm here to talk about Boone."_

 _"Oh dearie me, is he alright?"_

 _"He is. It's about his wife."_

 _"Oh poor Carla. I know Boone thinks she was kidnapped, but I have the feeling she just ran off."_

Bingo. The first person that had a different story. Every other person who I had talked to had all agreed the Carla had been indeed kidnapped and what Nobark said about the kidnappers go into the lobby… there is something not right about this whole thing.

 _"Well Boone asked to find out what I could. Maybe she was kidnapped, but I don't think so."_

 _"Oh good. I just wished he wouldn't suffer over needless things."_

 _"Well thank you, Mrs…"_

 _"Jeannie May Crawford."_

I left politely; then I hid in the shadows and watched. Sure enough just a few minutes after I left she was heading off down the hill in a hurry. She eventually entered a house down the road. Every instinct told me she was hiding something, and I needed to find out what it was. I crept to the lobby and entered, finding the door unlocked.

I looked around, for the first time noticing a sense of green in the place. The walls and just about everything else seemed to have a green color to it. Then I made my way to the main desk, and searched its contents. No dice. Then I accidently shifted the green rug I was standing on and I notice a hidden safe.

Dust had well collected around it, so I knew it wasn't used often. Fortunately, it had a padlock, and I knew my way around picklocking. I looked around, and I found an old paperclip and a screwdriver. I placed the clip into the lock and dug around looking for one of its sweet spots. It took me a few minutes, but I eventually got it in place and I turned the lock with the screwdriver, opening it up.

I opened the safe, and I knew I had stepped into something very twisted. There was a letter inside, it's sealing stamp broken. I plucked it up and placed it in a pocket in my jacket, then I resealed the lock and got the hell out of there. Once I got far enough away, I took out the letter and began to read. When I was finished, my stomach dropped. It was a Legion sale document, proclaiming the sale of Carla Boon and her unborn daughter, to which all payment would go to—Ms. Jeannie May Crawford…

* * *

" _Yes?"_ Crawford spoke through the door. I put on the best poker face I had, and spoke with a sense of urgency.

 _"Ma'am, there's someone that wants to talk to you. Up front of the Tee-Rex. Said it was urgent."_

 _"Well alright, let's get going."_

Quickly we began our way up the hill, and I made sure she was in front of me. Every fiber in my body tensed as the seconds ticked by, I knew that this wasn't over yet. When we reached the top of the hill and in front of the Tee-Rex, she looked about curiously.

 _"So who was wanting to see me?"_

 _"Carla Boone."_

She tensed, fright and panic crept all about her face, but it was too late. The beret had barely touched my head when the round echoed and the woman fell…

* * *

" _How did you know?"_

 _"This."_

He took the document, and began to read over its contents. I had expected anything, outrage, sadness, perhaps confusion. Instead all I got was the same thing I had gotten all night: an emotionless shell. To some, this would have been foreboding, a true sign of a lack of care for the world about and within themselves.

 _"I should have known."_

When he looked up, those who had taken such an assumption would have been wrong. I could see the pain in his face, and his eyes were orbs of wrath. Though he tried to hide it, he was as obvious to me as if he was screaming. I knew what he was doing: he was trying to hide from the pain by taking himself and hiding inside his shell. I also knew, by looking at him, that he was trying to tell himself that what happened didn't happen to him, but to another Craig Boone.

 _"I should have known."_ He repeated, this time the traditionally graveled and darkened voice was somber, his response barely anything more than a painful whisper. He crumpled the document and turned his back to me, seeming to stare at the sleepy town left in his charge. He was hunched over, leaning against the statues teeth, his hands seeming to grip the ends as though he was going to crush them. The walls that he had built in his mind were crumbling like the city of Jericho.

 _"Now that things are done, what will you do?"_

 _"I won't be staying. Can't look at this town without seeing her here. I just can't…"_ His voice was on the verge of cracking, but he carried on anyway, _"I just have to leave."_

 _"What about the corpse? Will they—"_

 _"No, they won't,"_ he replied, for once his face lighten up as he peered over his shoulder at me, _"People die, and most don't ask why. They just accept it. Besides, I was officially on break when it happened."_

That last particular comment brought an arctic smile to his normally crabby face, and I then I knew he had truly thought this through. I knew now was the time for broke:

 _"Why don't you come with me? I could always use a First Recon covering my six."_

That brought a sudden, if well concealed surprise to the man's face. He just shook his head:

 _"You don't want to do that. Got too many ghosts in my past to be shaken."_

 _"My friend, you're not the only with a dark past. Everyone does, in some way or another. In truth, it's the ones who don't that end up causing the most amount of pain. Besides, snipers never operate alone; the only lone wolves are the dead."_

 _"You speak from experience. On both accounts."_ He replied, a slight degree of suspicion written across his face. I just shrugged:

 _"If you're asking me if I know how, I don't."_

 _"What do you mean? Someone hit you over the head?"_

 _"Try being shot in the head. I lived, but my memories are missing. That's what I'm trying to find."_

 _"And the man who shot you, I suppose."_

I shrugged.

" _Well the offers on the table until noon tomorrow."_

 _"I'll think about it. And Gideon?"_

 _"Yeah?"_ I replied as I headed for the door.

 _"The way you talked about it… It takes one to know one. And I know the look of another soldier. Keep that in mind."_

* * *

I made my way up the stairs to the second floor walkway; remember the key number had been # I made my way to the door, I actually found it ajar. When I got closer, I found Cass waiting in the doorway:

 _"Find him? You've been gone a couple of hours."_

 _"Yeah…"_ I replied. I was tired, my voice and my expression showed. She ushered me in and practically handed me a bottle of brandy. I took it down with little hesitation.

 _"I'm assuming it had somethin' ta do with the shot I heard ten minutes past?"_

 _"Yeah. It's a long story…"_


	12. Chapter XI: Chance of Friendship

**Chapter XI:**

 **Chance of Friendship**

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _To all the people of the Mojave, I bring the rays of a new hope. This the New Vegas show and I have wonderful news!"_

The auditory glare thundered from the radio as it creaked to news that seemed to bring out the humanity in the speakers' voice for the first time in a while.

 _"For weeks the outer settlements of the Mojave have been plagued by raids originating from the infamous "Powder Gangers". The back of these raids have been broken, ladies and gentlemen, by the gallant townsfolk of Goodsprings, who formed an impromptu militia and met them on the field of battle. According to the accounts of an old man armed to the teeth with dynamite, the battle actually raged from the town to the lost NCRCF, where only smoky ruins remain."_

Part of me gleamed at our handiwork that night. While no doubt the facility was rendered useless, I was surprised of just how effective our efforts had been.

 _"And to the south, at the township of Primm, NCR soldiers and militia ended the incretious occupation and dispatched the rabble. Today; I announce the nomination of the town's new sheriff and deputy:_

 _"Howdy-doo, I'm Sheriff Meyers._

 _"And I'm Deputy Primm Slim, yee-haw!_

 _"From now on, this town is under our protection._

 _"Any who find that loco, will find us waiting._

 _"So be good, or we'll shoot you dead._

 _"Now how 'bout a Yee-haw for law and order in the town of Primm!_

 _"That was Sheriff Dick Meyers, and the Securitron Deputy Primm Slim. Good luck to you, lawmen, and now time for the song I feel is appropriate for the moment written by everyone's favorite Louis Armstrong."_

The melody of jazz music was slowly flowed to the rest of the background as a small smile arched its way across my face. This is the reward of good work: not gold or fame, but satisfaction. Satisfaction that the ripples you spurred end up creating tidal waves. Then there was a knock on the door, interrupting my thoughts:

 _"Come."_

The door open; revealing free blowing auburn hair that seemed to dance like a star in the spotlight.

 _"What ya listenin' to?"_ she asked. I just shrugged:

 _"Old news."_

 _"Well I've got the gear packed, so I'm gonna go do some shopping."_ she replied, then her face softened, _"Still think he's gonna show?"_

 _"Told him till noon,"_ I replied, _"it's only eight o'clock."_

 _"Right, well you want anything in particular?"_

 _"Nah, just gonna be fishing for info. The recording said his contact is here in town, so I'm gonna see what I can find."_

 _"Still think he came through here? For all we know they could be lyin' on the bottom of the Colorado."_

 _"Now that would be a waste!"_ I spoke with a sense of boisterously merry, to which Cass just laughed, " _Nah, I've got the feeling that he's still kicking. By the way, where's ED-E?"_

 _"Oh, the robot? He's been wondering around town all night, but I bumped into in the lobby."_

 _"Good,"_ I replied as I finished tying my boot, _"I could use some uncompromising backup."_

 _"Uncompromising?"_ Cass chuckled, revealing a sly grin, _"What, no chances I'm not uncompromising?"_

 _"The first time you two met,"_ I began, my throat dry as I went, _"I think he asked for permission to incinerate you."_

 _"Charming,"_ she replied nonchalant with a wide smile, and headed out the door, _"see you in a couple of hours."_

 _"Right."_

I went to the bedside table and retrieved my long gunbelt. Over the night I had added equipment to it from Nipton. A few Mag-pouches to replace the old ones, a larger med-kit on the left side. On the back though was a sheath for a four inch throwing knife I had found on a Legionary. It was a black Fairbairn-Sykes style honed to a razor's edge.

On the wall had been a paper target that I had attached to a rotting closet door. A long night's practice was made evident with dozens of punch holes either in or surrounding the target paper. It had taken a while, but I felt confident enough to take this thing into the field. As I sheathed Fairbairn, I reached behind my waist to the last, but potentially most dangerous pouch. Its small size hid its true purpose.

I reached in and removed the single Mk-5 Fragmentation Grenade. I stared down at it for a long while before finally putting it back in its place. It was very dangerous tool, I knew. Only a fool plays with explosives. It however had been one of a few weapons me and Cass were keeping. In her case, she'd found an odd looking blade I thought was called a Khukuri or something or other.

Either way, she'd taken a liking to it. The other one had been a remake of a Winchester Lever-action shotgun, 20 gauge model, to 'replace' her Caravan Model 101. She however warned me to not even think about selling it:

 _"It's my mother's shotgun. 'nough said, right?"_

 _"The thought never even crossed my mind, Cass."_

Quietly I stepped out into the balcony, holstering the Browning and Colt when I heard a familiar beeping sound.

 _"Hey ED-E. What'ya been doing."_

He bobbed his mechanical frame about in a shrug.

 _"Well alright. I'm heading down to the big Tee-Rex. Wanna come along?"_

To that, his mood lightened into sunshine as he beeped excitedly. I smiled and headed down the stairs, the robot hovering to catch up. Quickly, I walked across the parking lot and headed up the ramp into the confounds of the giant lizard. When I opened the door, the first thing I noticed was a dark something held in the kindly shopkeepers hands.

 _"What the hell is that?"_ I asked, pointing a finger at it.

 _"This,"_ he began with a smile, _"is a—what the hell is that!?"_

He pointed over my shoulder and I knew at what. I sighed and shook my head.

 _"_ _That_ _is my companion, ED-E. I found him at Primm. Now what the hell is that?"_

He continued to stare at ED-E, who continued to stare back. Finally, he beeped a response I swore sounded like _'well?"_. He shook his head and suddenly placed it a concealed drawer.

 _"Later. We need to talk."_

I already had an idea of what.

 _"Who was it?"_

 _"What are you talking about?"_

 _"Don't play funny with me, stranger. First you start asking questions about what happened to Carla, then not a few hours later I hear a single gunshot."_

 _"Well it could've been a raider,"_ I lied.

 _"Boone wasn't on duty, you smartass,"_ he growled, his normally gentle face contorting into a mask of pure anger, _"if you got somebody killed by taking advantage of Boone I swear I…"_

 _"It wasn't like that!'_ I shot back.

 _"Then who was it!?"_ he yelled, rising to his feet so abruptly that he knocked over the swivel chair he was sitting in. Suddenly ED-E shot forward between me and Cliff:

 _" And that is close enough, stranger! "_

 _"ED-E stand down! Cliff it was Crawford. She's the one who sold out Boone's wife."_

Like the aftershock of a bullet fired; an utter, over bearing silence crept into the air and petrified the room. Cliff stared at me in utter disbelief until finally he collapsed into his chair with an exhausted grunt. Finally, his voice grave and somber, he asked the obvious:

" _How did you know?"_

 _"I—I found the slave bill in a safe under her desk."_

 _"I don't understand. Out of all of us… she was the most supportive of her_. _She… it just makes no sense."_

 _"Would there be any reason—"_

 _"I don't know. I… I don't think I know anything anymore."_

 _"I'm sorry, Cliff."_

 _"Look, one way or another Boone needs to go. I don't care what he thinks, people are going to start asking questions and when they do there'll be blood in the streets."_

 _"I already offered to take him along. But you said it yourself: Boone wasn't on duty when it happened."_

 _"I figure it out didn't I? So will others. And they won't care why she died. Do what you have to but get Boone out of town and as far away from here as you can."_

For a long while, I didn't reply. I couldn't. Already I felt another added burden being lopped onto my shoulders. I didn't lie when I told Boone I didn't trust people without a past. Without one, there leaves a sense of uncertainty that only leads to complications.

For all practical sense, all logical sense, I was right to keep to my code. But for once I wished I didn't have to deal with baggage. I didn't hold it against Boone, but deep down inside hidden under layers of shattered memory I could feel the scars of a long and tiring life. I hung my head and sighed, focusing to clear away my nostalgic weariness.

I had promises to keep. I had to soldier on. I closed my single eye and with a last bit of effort cleared the fog from my mind.

 _"I understand,"_ I replied finally, opening my eye to face the world again. With that; Cliff reach his hand under the table and removed the object. It was clearly a handgun, a revolver at that. But it was perhaps the strangest looking weapon I had seen in a long while.

" _What is it?"_

 _"This is a Mateba 2019A-2 Auto-revolver."_

This 'Mateba' looked enormous in the small man's hands. Imagine taking the cylinder portion of a revolver, removing the hammer and making the cylinder itself a good three inches long. Then imagine that connecting to a five inch barrel that's been built into a half shape, rounded box. Finally underneath that is an odd slide, with two red lights right in the center, adding odd to the handle that looked like it had been custom made out of smooth wood.

 _"A Matteba, huh? I've never heard of 'em."_

 _"Not many were made. This one I picked up from a junkdealer from the Angel's Boneyard."_

 _"What kind of caliber does it use?"_

Judging from the size of the cylinder, he would have to be a high caliber hunting round, but I'd never seen one this long.

 _".223 rifle ammunition."_

I gave him a funny look.

 _"You're bullshitting me here right?"_

 _"Nope,"_ his eyes conveyed his seriousness, _"no bullshit. Here take a look."_

He then handed me the revolver and almost immediately surprised by the weight. My Forty-Fives fully loaded only weighed a meager two pounds. This on the other hand weighed a good five pounds. I clicked the ejector switch, sliding open the cylinder and sure enough there was .223 calibers round in one of the five holes.I slid the cylinder back to place which was followed by a sudden whine.

 _"That,"_ Cliff explained, _"was the auto sensors moving the loaded round to the barrel position. Autorevolver, right? Though I like to call it That Gun."_

 _"That Gun, huh?"_ I replied as I turned the weapon over and over in my hand, noticing the LAPD logo tag on the side of the barrel. Though largely faded, there were two words left towards the top in large black letter on a yellow backdrop: THAT GUN.

 _"I was planning on selling it."_ Cliff spoke wearily, turning his head up towards the stairs leading to the snipers nest. I knew the reason all too well, " _You'll need it more than me."_

This was good bye. A painful good bye that didn't need to be said, but at the end only felt. I simply nodded, and also accepted the large leather holster that came with the giant blaster.

 _"I'm actually here for information."_

 _"Information?"_ he asked, raising an eyebrow.

 _"A group of men: Khans and a man with a checkered suit, would've come through here a day ago?"_

 _"Oh,"_ he answered in a wearied groan, _"I know who you're talking about. They would've gone to see Manny."_

 _"This Manny have a last name?"_

 _"Vargas… and there's something you need to know."_

* * *

" _What's up man?"_

Manny Vargas was definitely a Khan. Maybe former, or something else, I don't know. But I could see it: the scars all about him, his attitude, the way he held himself, the way his eyes burned with a fierce intensity. His disciplined manner, however, as well as the red beret on his head, was NCR. Odd combinations, considering the two were enemies since the day they departed ways from the very same vault. I brushed it aside, but I knew that if the Khans had come to see him, then I knew I was in for a hard time.

Khans were tough sons of bitches.

 _"I'm looking for a man in a checkered suit."_

 _"Yeah I know him. What's he to you?"_

 _"He shot me."_ I replied with a deadpan face, _"I want to find out why."_

 _"I had a feeling that weasel would have someone on his tail,"_ he replied with grimace, _"But I'm afraid I can't help you."_

I had been expecting this.

 _"Look it's just that he was travelling with some people that I know—"_

 _"I'm not asking you to sell out your brothers, Khan."_

 _"How the hell did you—"_

 _"It doesn't matter. I'm not after the Khans with him, I just want him. And if things work out, they get to walk free."_

 _"I'm sorry, but I can't help you,"_ he replied with an exhausted sigh, _"I may not be a Khan anymore, but they're still my family. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go on duty."_

 _"Son of a bitch…"_

* * *

" _So how'd it go?"_ Cass asked when I got back to the motel room. I slumped down on the bed with a sigh.

 _"They came this way alright. I even found the guy, but he won't talk."_

 _"He a Khan?"_ She asked. I nodded, my face bearing a surprised look.

 _"Well, it makes sense,"_ she continued, sitting down onto the bed, _"I've worked with 'em before. They don't like bein' bossed around, and they only contact those they trust."_

 _"Which in this case could only be—"_

 _"Another Khan."_

 _"Ms. Cassidy, you are smarter then you look."_ I replied with the widest grin I could manage. She laughed, and then she struck my shoulder with such force I was knocked off the bed.

 _"Ow!"_ I exclaimed as I massaged my shoulder. She just grinned right back at me.

 _"I'll take that as a compliment."_

 _"Take however you want,"_ I exclaimed as I stood a good five feet back, _"Just don't hit me again! It was a good punch though."_

 _"That wasn't good punch,"_ she replied with a crazy mad smile as she closed the distance with a fist raised high in feign, _"This is a good punch."_

As I moved to block the soon-to-be worse punch, there was a knock at the door. We both froze and turned to the doorway.

 _"Why don't you get the door, asshole?"_ she stated in such a squeaky voice that it would've been hilarious in any other situation.

 _"Shut up!"_ I replied with my best comical voice and I opened the door. It was Boone.

 _"I'm in."_ he said in his typical gravel voice.

 _"Just like that?"_ I asked. He nodded.

 _"There's more,"_ he then reached into his pocket and came back with a data stick, _"I got this off of Manny's computer. I couldn't help eavesdropping."_

 _"Wow,"_ Cass replied with a steady beat of clapping, and a grin to come with it, _"I figured we'd have to beat it out of him. And yet here you are. So how'd you do it?"_

 _"We…have a history."_ he replied glumly.

 _"Do tell."_

 _"He used to be my spotter."_

* * *

" _Manny, you made the right choice, putting us up and keeping it quiet. This weasel Benny's been twitchy since we stole that package from his boss._

 _Making me nervous as hell. But when I found out we'd be passing through on our way to Boulder City, I was sure we could count on you. Let the other Khans say what they want. I know where your loyalty is._

 _One day you'll remember where you belong, and your brothers and sisters will welcome you back like you never left. You know where to find us. McMurphy"_

 _"So, Benny huh?"_ Cass remarked as I read the contents again as it sprawled over the data screen on the Pip-Boy.

 _"Atleast I've got a name to go with a face."_ I replied.

 _"And a location. How long ago did they come through here?"_

 _"A day and some change. Good news especially."_

 _"How is that good news?"_ she asked, genuinely curious.

 _"Simple. They're travelling on foot, and the Khans are heading straight into NCR territory. That means they'll have to be triple stealthy—"_

 _"Meaning they'll be slower."_

 _"Yep. With any luck we'll be able to run them down before they even reach Boulder City. By tomorrow, they'll be in our grasp."_

 _"And then what?"_ she asked, turning to face me with her staring, inquisitive eyes, _"Once you've gotten your revenge, then what?"_

 _"Simple, really."_ I replied with a warm heart and prayer on my lips, _"We go find your caravan, and we put some hurt on someone."_

 _"You're serious?"_ she asked genuinely surprised, her face somewhere between delighted and absolutely confused, _"We've only known each other fer a couple of days. Why would you really care?"_

 _"I care, because you're in the same boat that I'm in."_

 _"But even then—"_

 _"Cass, you don't know me very well. When we were at the outpost, I made you a promise. And I always, no matter if I'm near death or not, make good on my promises."_

 _"You truly are an odd one, Mr. Maddox."_ Cass remarked with a warm smile, _"And I mean that in a good way."_

 _"I know."_ I shot back with a smile.

 _"So where to next?"_ Cass asked. I uncovered the pip-boy, and pressed the Data selection button. This brought up a new screen and using another side button selected _MAP,_ which gave me a regional view. I located where we were and I traced my finger up the long winding highway.

 _"There: the 188 Trading Station. We can sell our loot there and rearm if need."_

 _"Sounds like a plan, bossman,"_ she replied with a smile. Suddenly, our attention shifted to the sound of an apartment door opening ahead of us. A moment later, Boone departed with a duffle bag in one hand and in the other a sniper weapon. As I suspected a heavily modified Model 70 Winchester chambered with .308 cartridges. A _"Rifleman's Rifle"_ had been a popular nickname for it.

His entire look screamed pare-military. Combat boots, khaki-camo trousers and brown hunting jacket that covered over a very obvious web belt system. Well… also add in the fact the red beret that I don't think he'll ever take off. He took one last look at his room and then locked it up.

 _"Hey, you okay?"_ Cass asked him as he came over. He shook his head as he tossed his gear in the back and climbed in.

 _"No,"_ he said simply, _"will be when we're miles out."_

 _"For once I can agree with that sentiment."_

Already I could see people staring at us from behind windows and alleyways. We'd made our presence know and they'd become weary of it. Boone was right. It was time to get out of Dodge. I made one last check of our apartment and finally locked the room up. I'd leave the keys in the lobby.

As I started her up, I could see Cass loading her Lever-action. She gave me a funny look and watched the houses around.

 _"You too, huh?"_

 _"Yeah. Think Cliff was right?"_

 _"It's starting to look that way. They know something is up."_

 _"'nough gawking then. Let's get the hell outta here."_

 _"Right. ED-E! Hop in!"_

 _"So where we heading?"_ Boone called from the back.

 _"First the 188 Trading Post up road!"_

 _"And then?"_

 _"Boulder city."_

* * *

It wasn't until we were well outside of town that I dared a look back towards the fading town. My mind thought over the events of the last couple of days and I had to ask myself what was next?

 _" Listen, I've been everywhere in this here land! "_

Yeah, that about sums it up. The sounds of Cash's shaky and world-weary exploits ran in tune with the wheels on the tarmac. I could even here Cass humming in tune to the song. Behind me, Boone was seated in the very back with his back to the tire and his rifle across his lap. And in the passenger seat was ED-E drumming out a new song every couple of minutes.

It helped pass the waning hours as we made our way to the trading post. Still though, I had to ask myself again that obvious question. What was next? I'd been shot, brought back to life through a questionable involvement of three different parties, rescued a town, avenged another, picked up a robot, a slightly wacky redhead cowgirl, a brooding sniper, someone how stumble upon a garage with a functioning vehicle and possibly had two angels watching over my shoulder. I had to shake my head at the thought.

It's been a long month.

" _I've been everywhere, man. I've been everywhere, man. Crossed the desert's bare, man. I've breathed the mountain air, man. Of travel I've had my share, man. I've been everywhere! "_

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

This bot was on a damn roll! Playin' song after song and hitting the mark with each one. Had ta admit, don't mind they idea of an armored radio with a deathray fer company. I just hummed along with the tune as the minutes, and then hours, passed on. Still, couldn't take my mind off 'bout our new passenger.

He was still hangin' round the very back; eyes watching the roads and hills with that rifle of his close in hand. Looking at him made feel cold. No, not cold. Somethin' like that though. Gideon told me what had gone down with this guy last night and did feel sorry for him.

Know that particular pain 'nough ta know what it can do a man. Yet, in some ways I think he went further down the rabbit hole than I could possibly try. He looked like a man with a deathwish. I will not understate it. He's got the looks of wantin' ta charge head long into a Legion camp and go down kicking and screamin'.

Now I've been to some dark places, and might've been stuck there had Gideon not come by and pulled me out. But in his case, I think he might need more than a beatdown and some wise old words. I looked over at Gideon, and he looked back. What was it he said to me back at Novac? You too, huh?

Either way, I'm gonna have to be on my toes with this. He might just go ballistic if we're not careful.

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

" _I've been to: Boston, Charleston, Dayton, Louisiana, Washington, Houston, Kingston, Texarkana, Monterey, Faraday, Santa Fe, Tallapoosa, Glen Rock, Black Rock, Little Rock, Oskaloosa, Tennessee to Tennesse, Chicopee, Spirit Lake, Grand Lake, Devils Lake, Crater Lake, for Pete's sake! "_

They don't trust me. Could see it in their eyes, but I've been expecting it. I'm like a thorn in a rose, or something like that. Don't fit in well with others. So why did Gideon ask me to come along?

Lying to myself, I know why. He's like me. Or he was me, I don't know which… yet. But looking at him now, the way he holds himself up confidently, no fear… I was right. The man's a soldier.

Was a soldier? That much I can tell. I'd also seen his look before, the kind that've been to Hell and somehow crawled out. Saw the look at Hoover. But this… his… is worse.

Much worse. Add to that he doesn't remember anything. If what he's been through is half as bad as I think… he might snap when it comes back. I have to be ready for that. My eyes shifted to the passenger.

Heartaches by the Number came to mind. Had that song playing on a loop while back on the Strip. Must've heard it a thousand times. Either way, describes her well. She's like most caravaners I've met.

Add to the fact she's lost a lot. Not just recently. Scars are old and new, but each runs deep. Can see it in her eyes. Tough luck's a bitch.

Yet out of the two, Gideon is the more trusting. Makes sense. Her on the other hand… got the look of someone who makes friends with her fist. Unpredictable, but loyal. Not planning on staying long, but something to keep in mind.

Would take a lot to warm up to her. Get her to trust me. Not that they should. I know Vegas is inevitable on this trip's end. Help them if I can, but when its over I'm gone.

Now the robot. Enclave. Seen enough relics and stories back in Redding to know the look. But it's old and battered looking. Definitely gone through a lot.

Something else too. It acts like a puppy around Gideon. He's definitely not Enclave, too young to be. A new master? Maybe its memories were removed or forgotten.

Either way, if something happens I won't hesitate. Felt something, something familiar. I spun and looked over the hills for something moving. Nothing. I kept looking till we passed under a bridge.

Finally I relaxed. But here was something unfriendly about that feeling. Felt cold. Like… Cottonwood. Like… Carla.

Forget about it. Bury it. Focus on the here and now. Focus on the rover. Focus on them.

Slowing down. The trading post.

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

It was getting colder. We were fast approaching the end of October, and I actually found it comforting. I actually found myself smiling a little, just a little, when I saw my breath materialize into damp fog. I would finally have a use for this damn robe.

 _"Where you heading, V?"_

 _"Out!"_ I called back, _"I wanna enjoy this cold while I can!"_

 _"You enjoy this!?"_ he called back. I turned, finding him shivering despite the fact he was wearing a heavy coat. It wasn't that cold.

 _"This robe is like wearing sweatpants, ye wuss."_

 _"Hey, I'm not a wuss!"_ he shouted back, his face on verge of exploding, _"I just don't like the cold!"_

 _"Ah, you're just useless!"_ I called back, my lips tightened into a mocking smile.

I made my way up the stairs and onto the intersection of Highways 93 and 95. I then found myself staring, once again, at the neon lights of Vegas. It was like an early dawn every time the veil of night hit the land. I had only been to Vegas once, and despite losing most of my money; I wouldn't mind heading back. Then for some odd reason I found myself turning back to face the oncoming road, burying my face deeper into the hood.

I don't why I did; maybe it was some change in the wind that brought my attention. I don't know. But ultimately, I'm glad I did.

 _"Go ahead and get the stuff unpacked, Cass. Boone, head on in and see if you can find us a gun merchant."_

 _"And where you off to?"_

 _"Parking space. C'mon, ED-E, I could use your help."_

I just stared at the newcomers for a good long while. The kid's words ranged out its tune once more:

 _"Anger. Rage. All but red, oh so crimson red. Mist in the air, on his hands, in his soul. A hole that just widens, with two holes, all sown but just keep on tearing. Bloodrage!"_

 _"It's okay; you're going to be fine. No one is going to hurt you. Shhh, you're going to be okay."_

 _"Blood everywhere, V! Blood everywhere!"_

 _"Who were you talking about, kid? Who?"_

 _"Maddox."_

I just couldn't be sure. Either way, they entirely fascinated me. I wasn't the only one who had noticed Rover: a Model '63 to be exact. I remembered seeing one in a catalogue and another in a military driver's manual. Definitely the latter kind; I could see faded whited on the doors and the entire thing was painted with a sort of Olive drap green.

Then I found myself observing the actual owners. One was without a doubt a cowgirl. Rough and tumbled with flowing red hair hid underneath an even rougher raw hide hat. She was trying to bear the load of a very large bag, of which I had no doubt it was full of a plethora of weaponry. Next to her was… well there is no other way of saying it: Mr. Shades with a cherry on top. All serious in his manner and easily ex-military… a sniper at that.

 _"Are you sure you got that?"_ Mr. Shades asked.

 _"What do I look like? A housewife?"_ the Cowgirl scowled back.

I couldn't help but giggle at the two of them. But then my eyes drifted again over to the other two in this little 'party'. I… I had never seen a robot like that before. I knew though it was some kind of Eyebot that the Enclave had built some forty years ago. He was though… funny… like an attention-demanding dog.

 _"Whoa, easy with the Valkyries, Kilgore!"_

I then turned my eyes to the speaker. He was… rather unusual. I could describe most people with a word, but him? Not so much. He was in his early thirties, well built but lean.

Easily just shy of two hundred pounds and no doubt a powerful man. Well armed too: I could see the .45 pistol underneath the heavy leather jacket, and it probably had a twin. I also spotted the Combat Knife at the right boot. The heaviest of his hardware, pardon me for saying so, was the Ruger Ranch Rifle Classic. This one caught my eye: it had a rare MagLite Precision Night Scope, with probably a 3.5 or 4.10x magnification, mounted on its carry handle.

I wound up finding his face, and my is it broody. Okay maybe not broody. But some kind of cross between gnarly and scruffy-looking. Yeah that's about right.

Scruffy-looking with a right mixture of danger and broody. I like that word.

 _"This'll do."_

He then parked, and no sooner than he dismounted than did the robot zoom to his side.

 _"C'mon, ED-E. Let's go see what this place has to offer."_

 _"Beepdit-beep?"_

 _"No, you may not shoot the customers. If that is what you said."_

I had to stifle a laugh as the floating disco ball groaned in disappointment. Then quickly I darted back behind the shed as he moved to overpass. Another 'lucky guess', his eyes were running over where I was standing three seconds ago…

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I couldn't shake the feeling I was being watched. Yet when I had turned to look, there was nobody there. The Sensorium was going to be practically useless as there was still a lot of people moving about from tent house to shack or something else; looking for buyers.

 _"Did you see anything, ED-E?"_

He shook his head. Damn. Well nothing much to do about it now. I should probably get back to the others—

 _"Local, local, local. The here and now…"_

It had come as a small murmur. Barely audible, and it sounded rather cold and alien. Almost like the voice of Vulpes… I drew the Colt and I trailed its source:

 _"Little of interest: things to buy, false hopes and regrets watered down into tiny dirty glasses…"_

I then looked down to the road below me and I saw him.

" _Oh, hello!"_

He looked up at me and he smiled a smile that could've only come from a kid. He was atleast ten; thin and all with a fairly rounded face.

 _"I'm sorry, but I just heard over there and I—"_

 _"I don't mind, friend. I've actually been expecting you!"_

That caught me off guard.

 _"You've… been expecting me?"_

 _"Why sure! C'mon down!"_

I looked to ED-E, and he just shrugged. Quickly, I made my way down the intersection past the many still walking about and onto the main road heading south. I found him under the bridge; surrounded by clutters of junk. Then something caught my eye: seven red and six white with a blue field, twelve stars in a circle and one in the middle. The…'old' America: the United States. The boys' voice interrupted my thoughts and stares:

 _"Hey there mister!"_

 _"Hey yourself, little one."_

I sat amid the junk, cross-legged: ironically the same as the kid in front of me.

 _"Finally good to meet you."_

 _"About that… actually what's your name?"_

He smiled and shook his head:

 _"Don't have a name. Never needed one."_

 _"Well hello, Mr. No Name,"_ I laughed warmly with a broad smile, _"Always wanted to meet a No Name. Your parents must've given the joke but forgot the point of the punchline!"_

 _"I actually don't have any parents."_

 _"Oh,"_ I replied apologetically, then my natural concern took over, _"Wait, who takes care of you then?"_

 _"I take care of myself, mainly."_

 _"You're all alone?"_

 _"No, not really. Everybody here's pretty nice. Sam Kerr's always got a meal for me, and everybody's got a job with pay if I need to."_

 _"Wow. Talk about a village to raise a kid."_

 _"I like you."_ he replied with that innocent smile that little children always bear, _"I like your humor."_

 _"Heh. I like how you roll with things kid. Now you were expecting me?"_

 _"I saw you. In the Gecko Cave."_

One could imagine my surprise:

 _"Wait, what!?"_

 _"I figured you'd be coming up here."_

 _"Go back a second, how did you_ _'see'_ _me in the cave?"_

I knew I had been alone in that cave. Alone… with only the dead at my feet. Who… what, was this kid?

 _"I see things when I don't have this on."_

He reached behind his back and pulled out a metal band, red and black in appearance.

 _"You see things? Like… a vision?"_

He nodded and I just simply shrugged. One could call me crazy, but living in a world where robots had personalities and angels apparently had an interest in people; I could be inclined to believe him. He could be only one thing: a psychic.

 _"So… what can you see?"_

 _"Oh I see a bit of now, a bit of later. Sometimes it's with a person, sometimes with a place, sometimes with everywhere."_

So you, here or everywhere. Okay, that interesting.

 _"What about here?"_

 _"That was actually one I was doing, but I forgot to finish it."_

 _"Do you remember the rest of it?"_

He cleared his throat, closed his eyes and seemed to go into a sort meditative state, his eyelids cringing with focused concentration. Then he finally spoke and the cold, alien voice was back:

 _"With regret comes a girl… smiling, but sad. Brown robes, but only half here. Name of Veronica, wraps her heart up like a pack. In that heart, a key some say. Forecast: cloudy, with a chance of Friendship."_

I could feel someone's eyes bore into the back of my skull. I whipped around, my eyes trailing the bridge but once more no dice. I turned back to the kid, who was looking a little bit paler.

 _"You okay?"_

 _"Yeah, just got get a breather for a second."_

That second turned into a minute, but he got his color back and looked okay. Then something in his eyes changed; they went from brown to gray in a split second. Then the voice returned:

 _"Your face does the thinking… two to the skull, only one gets up. All odds against you… numbers to the two-to-one. Playing a hand been dealt, mind loosed… Yet you never rest, you reshuffle and stack, to a gamble that might pay off…But only the skies know how. Rapidly changing conditions."_

 _"That's enough, kid."_ I replied, moving my hand to grab the headband, _"Let's get this on your head."_

Then he shoved me down with a strength that could not have belonged to him. He stood; the face almost seeming to age in a heartbeat. My breath was caught in my lungs and my heart felt as though it was going to explode.

 _"Bull and Bear over the Dam, at each other's throats... but a light from Vegas? Ball spinning on the wheel, more than two at the table. All lose in different ways. A dam and towns of corpses scattered across the sand. But the blood is unclear… Even the dealer of events doesn't know. A rain of blood will flood the desert and not purify it."_

 _"Kid!"_ A scream emitted from over my shoulder. Before I could turn, a rush of brown rolled past me and I was almost bowled over. ED-E seemed to beep in as much surprise as I could imagine.

 _"Huh? What's going on?"_

 _"It's okay. I've got you."_

I turned to see the kid; the band on his head and his face rapidly changing from chalk white to green, and then back to his regular color. My eyes then, slowly, followed the arm that embraced the kid in a tightened hug. The arm, and much of the body, was wrapped in well faded brown burlap.

 _"Who are you?"_

 _"I suppose you're Maddox."_

The voice was defiantly a woman's and she was wearing burlap? Could this day get any weirder? No take it back it will.


	13. Chapter XII: Psychic Disposition

**Chapter XIII:**

 **Psychic Disposition**

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _He's been getting worse."_

We were standing over the highway intersection, the kid snoring softly in the tent behind us.

 _"How so?"_ I asked. She turned and leaned against the banister; allowing me an actual look at visual judgment. She was wearing a brown robe: a hood connecting to a cowl that overlapped the rest of garment that came to rest at the beginning of the chest line. The rest was one piece that flowed over the rest of her body to the foot of the floor, with a vent on both front and back of the robe. She had rather fair face that looked like it was heart shaped, tangles of cropped black hair slopping all about where it could, with bright green eyes that stared out with a mixture of kindness but mischief.

All in all; she looked way too cheerful to be in a shit pile like this mess of wanderers and castaways on the side of the road. On top of that, the face was like a mask hiding something underneath. What I didn't know.

 _"He's had this ability since before I met him,"_ she began, her eyes flowing back to the tent, _"Before, he had a control over it. Now though…"_

 _"Yeah, I think I know what you mean."_ I replied, reaching into my pocket to retrieve a cigarette. I didn't normally smoke, but I felt the need now. I took a long drawl, letting the smoke down into my lungs and out in a blow of gray fire.

 _"I think it started with you,"_ She stated, turning to lean against the banister as though she was peering into the distance for some unknown objective.

 _"What exactly did he see?"_ I asked, taking another drawl from the cigarette.

 _"Lots of blood, and you right in the middle of it all."_

Then she paused and then stared into my single eye.

 _"If I may ask, what were you doing?"_

 _"Me? Going total apeshit on a bunch of geckos."_

She chuckled at that.

 _"What's so funny?"_

 _"Oh, I'm sorry,"_ she began wiping at her eyes, _"just the way you'd replied."_

I had to smile at that. I took a drawl, pondering over this very strangely dressed woman who was apparently good at hiding. I could see it in the lines of her face.

 _"Can I ask you something?"_

 _"I think you already have."_

 _"Funny, but you look like you've traveled a long way on some very bad roads. Where'd you come from?"_

 _"The grave, actually."_ I replied with a smirk, to which she laughed, almost taking it at face value.

 _"Then you're looking pretty good for the circumstances. But seriously though?"_

 _"I'm not kidding,"_ I replied with a face set in sorrow, _"I died half a month ago."_

 _"Wow!"_ her face lightened somewhere between shock and awe, _"I'm assuming it has something to do with these then."_

She gestured to my bandages and I nodded.

 _"I'm on the tail of the man who killed me. Given a day, Benny—"_

 _"Benny? You're hunting a man named Benny?"_ She exclaimed as she whirled around to face me.

 _"You know the name?"_ I asked, my own voice laden with the very same was truly surprising.

 _"He wouldn't have been wearing a checker suit like Bugsy Siegel?"_

I had no idea what a Bugsy Siegel was, but I nodded either way.

 _"He came through here less than a day ago, skulking in the backdrop like a bunch of coyotes. Plus, I think I recognized him."_

 _"Do tell."_

 _"He's the Head Chairman at the Tops Casino."_

That sent bell tollings in my head as the pieces began to come into place. The package I was delivering was supposed to go to Vegas. The Khan recording stated that 'Benny' had stolen it from his Boss and 'Benny' was the boss of a very powerful family. The only one who'd be at his head had to be…?

 _"House,"_ I whispered audible only to me save for the movement of my lips.

 _"Sorry?"_ She asked.

 _"Just thinking out loud. I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."_

She smiled slightly, brushing away some of her hair.

 _"Veronica Santangelo,"_ she began, extending her hand, _"I live in a hole in the ground."_

 _"Gideon Maddox,"_ I replied, taking her hand gently, _"I live on the road. Wait go back a second, 'a hole in the ground?'"_

 _"Well it's a bunker if you want to get technical, but I think it sounds better that way. I don't go there much anymore, so I'm out here getting groceries."_

 _"A bunker, eh? You from a Vault?"_

 _"Well, kinda sorta."_ She replied shrugging, _"Let's just say it's a pretty big family, but I've been grounded at the moment."_

 _"Uh huh."_

I felt like I'd just jumped into the middle of some kind of drama with no idea who anybody was or how things got started. Before I could get any further with my deductions, ED-E came into the scene.

 _"Beedit-beep?"_

 _"He sleeping okay, buddy?"_

He nodded once, but then he turned towards Veronica and I could've sworn if he had a face he would've been creasing his brow staring at her. She on the other hand had a finger on her lips as her eyes bubbled wide and staring like a kid in a candy shop.

 _"Did you build him?"_ she finally asked, and I shook my head.

 _"Nope. I found him and fixed him up over at Primm. I had to dig a .308 round out of him, but it didn't go so far."_

She had an _'hmm'_ face and then she beckoned the robot over. He looked at me and I nodded. She began to turn him about and forth, inspecting him every bit as she could.

 _"I take it you know a thing or two about robots?"_

 _"Well, technical things in general. You told me he took a .308 round?"_

 _"Two actually. One just dented."_

 _"That actually makes quite a bit of sense. He's got a highly advanced West Tek miniaturized power armored shell. And this here,"_ she pointed at the underbelly, _"is a General Atomics Anti-Gravitation field emitter, but it's far more advanced than what you'd see on a Mr. Gutsy, the antennae are highly advanced sensor devices that allow perfect 360* detection and that is a miniaturized AER-14 Laser…"_

This went on for about a minute, and ED-E looked like he was just absorbing the attention. If he had lips; it would've been stretched into a very, very wide smile. She was talking a thousand a minute, so I finally put my hand to her shoulder:

 _"Whoa, slow down professor. Any faster and your lungs will explode."_

She was panting now, but she gave me a rather rueful smile:

 _"Sorry, I start and I don't stop."_

 _"Either way, that is an incredibly impressive display of robotic knowledge Ms. Santangelo."_

 _"Veronica if you please. Still though, he is perhaps the most advanced robot that I've seen!"_ She replied with the widest grin I'd ever seen.

 _"Now how the hell do you know so much about robots?"_

 _"Ah a little there, and a lot in a book."_

 _"Uh huh."_

It was obvious she wasn't giving me the full story. I could remember the dozen times I had taken apart different bots so I could learn how to take them out without damaging their 'organs', even then I did not know nearly half of what she knew about robotics. That meant it had to be taught over years; not learned over a few occasions. However there weren't many groups out there that would've offered that degree of training.

 _"Hey can I ask for some advice?"_

 _"Oh?"_ this was going somewhere interesting, _"me for advice?"_

 _"Yes you, Mr. Eye-patch pirate,"_ she replied with a scornful, half hearted grin that just made me laugh before she could get my attention again, " _You seem like you've been places. Ever had a run in with some folk called the Brotherhood of Steel?"_

That seemed to unlock another slide to add to the collection in my abused mind. Images of soldiers wearing armor the equivalent of walking tanks carrying rayguns started playing on grainy slideshows. If from what I could gather; I'd been on both the good and bad side of things with them. Mostly bad… with them shooting at me. The thought of it brought a tune to mind… something called Benny Hill from some old old silent film.

However, an important piece seemed to shine out above everything else:

 _"They are particular dangerous,"_ I replied diplomatically, and carefully, " _but they carry a rather odd sense of honor with them. They generally leave you alone unless you got something that they want."_

 _"Then I shouldn't have a need to worry about that then,"_ as she spoke, that odd cheerfulness there, I watched the movement of her eyes and subtle vibration of muscles along the sides of her face, _"I wouldn't be able to afford anything like that."_

Before I could probe any further, a groan came from the tent.

 _"Stay here!"_ she called over her shoulder as she ran back into the tent. Naturally, I did the exact opposite, approaching with care and eavesdropping on the conversation inside:

 _"Go with him V."_

 _"What!? No I won't leave—"_

 _"Veronica, I had a dream. About_ _him_ _."_

 _"A dream?"_

 _"I know why you're here, V. You've been like the sister I've never had, but I know why you're really here."_

 _"Kid, I—"_

 _"It's okay._ _He's_ _the answer, to you, me and everyone else._ _He's_ _going to change the future."_

 _"Kid… how did you get this dream?"_

 _"An angel told me."_

That did it. I storm into the tent, brushing aside Veronica exclamations and knelt next to the child. I only need to ask one word:

 _"Arcanum?"_

 _"Yes,"_ he replied with an exhausted grunt, weary and ill stricken, _"If you know him, then you know why."_

Over the past half month, I'd been thrown into a whirlwind of questions that constantly sent me places that I didn't want to go. Places stranger than the last. Right now I needed some answers, but now I was only getting more questions. This was starting to piss me off.

 _"Why I'm alive?"_ I guessed.

 _"Why you're needed,"_ he answered; his paled eyes shifting to the dumb stricken robed woman who stood behind me, _"And that is why_ _you_ _need to go with him. Him and the rest, and the many more to join you the in future."_

I didn't need to turn to know the face forming behind me. I felt for her. It was obvious the two were close. Part of me wanted her to stay, but I knew that wasn't going to be possible. That was when the child before me smiled: a smile that bore deep into my soul and let its mark.

 _"Go,"_ he said weakly, _"go and get acquainted."_

A tense moment followed, broken by ED-E's beeped response to the whole situation that I swore sounded like ' _What the shit?'_ I couldn't help but laugh; little did I know how contagious it would be…

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

I found her in her usual spot. Woman of habit.

 _"Sgt. Carpenter!"_ I called out at the old deuce-and-half. A moment later, the 'arms merchant' popped her head out from the cab.

 _"Well, I'll be damned. Boone you old bastard!"_

Avione Carpenter was my go to person when it came to weapons. Always had some of the best. At least in comparison to the Gun Runners... She jumped from the back of the truck and we shook hands. Still hadn't change.

Still had the fire that made her a good soldier. Also what got her discharged.

 _"So what'll be today? Huntin' some more Legion? Got some nice hollow points for ya if you want it."_

 _"Not today. Selling some gear instead."_

On que, Cass lugged the duffle bag over at our feet. Took a second, but then that old rye smile came to Carpenter's face again.

 _"Well I'll be. Quite a find here—and who might you, missy?"_

 _"Name's Cass,"_ the Cowgirl replied, shaking hands with Carpenter firmly, who in turn threw me that smile. The kind when she's about to indulge in mischief.

 _"So how the hell'd you end up with an old sourpuss like this? You don't look a merc or a prospector."_

 _"Caravaner, actually. And we had a mutual… acquaintance._

" _Not here on pleasure, Carpenter. Business."_

 _"Right,"_ she said sarcastically, turning her back to pick up a clipboard, _"so where you two headin'?"_

 _"Boulder City,"_ Cass answered, _"helping a friend hunt down some pretty boy outta Vegas."_

 _"And afterwards? Vegas, I'm assuming?"_

Cass gave me a look. An odd look. I shrugged.

 _"Probably,"_ I answered. She nodded and then retrieved a table from the truck. Minutes passed. Started inspecting what we had, and what we had seemed to impress her.

 _"Lotsa blades here. Plus some lever-actions and other odds and ends. I approve. 'Suming you got this from Caesar's hitmen?"_

I simply nodded. Never told her about my hunts and she never asked. Always strictly professional. Part of why I liked her.

 _"Alright, so what's the price tag?"_

 _"Well, you've got three Lever-Actions here worth their polish, another six I could use for scrap. Plus this here boomstick—"_ she held up the sawn-off double barrel, _"a couple of .40's… I'd say about three-five hundred."_

 _"Sounds decent 'nough,"_ Cass judged, _"got nything fer sale by chance?"_

 _"Yeah, couple of things,"_ she reached behind and hefted a massive wooden crate onto the table, _"plenty of guns and ammo if you want any."_

A cascade of weapons was then spread over the table. There, the Walther MPK 9mm. Little light for my taste, might still come in handy though. Folded the stock to the brim and placed it under my coat. Fits well enough.

Carpenter gave me a look, and I nodded. Opened another box and removed a shoulder harness. Then an ammo box and handed me six stick mags. Remembered it used the same ones as the M76. Note to remember when we hit Freeside.

 _"Whoa!"_ I heard Cass say. Turned my head and found her hefting an M-79 Thumper. Been a while since I'd seen one. Back a little after Hoover, Ranger team were using one during a Search and Destroy. Saw a look on the gunner, scared me a little.

Heard his squadmates called her Mad Bomber. Same look that Cass has now.

 _"Nothing more dangerous than a woman with explosives,"_ Carpenter grinned, beating me to the punch, _"ever used one?"_

 _"Nope. But I'ma fast learner. Gotta ask though, how the hell you get this much firepower?"_

Reasonable question. Most of the gear here was military. Or was meant to be military but never got the chance. Knew why, but she explained anyway:

 _"Used to be a Staff Sergeant with the 3_ _rd_ _of Bravo Company, but I got discharged 'bout a year ago for… insubordination."_

 _"Insubordination?"_

 _"LT wanted me to flog a bunch of 'deserters'. They'd just gotten liquored up on the Strip and missed roll call. I told him to eat shit and I ended up here."_

 _"Figures,"_ Cass growled. Look on her face, she wasn't surprised. She'd seen this before.

 _"What'd ya expect from a bunch of kids? They're green as hell and only get a couple weeks of boot before they're shipped out here!"_

 _"Last I was back in California,"_ Cass continued, _"the shit-for-brain Governors back in Shady Sands were trying ta push a new draft age for 17."_

Heard about that from some FNG's who'd passed through town a couple months back. Wasn't surprising. Barely have enough Rangers to man their forward outposts, let alone standard grunts.

 _"Vegas is bleeding us dry,"_ Carpenter replied, adding fuel to my thought, _"Caesar's bidding his time while we throw our guys at a hundred different problems. This war is gonna bankrupt the Republic… Hell some of the new guys don't even have body armor! So I hook up with a couple other vets, bribed a Gunrunner and started selling what I could."_

 _"Such as this,"_ Cass held up the grenade rifle, _"where'd you get this?"_

 _"Got 'em off of surplus back at McCarran. Fuckin' Merry Poppins there confiscate so much 'unofficial' gear from their supply officer there that you could outfit an entire battalion. Had a friend from logistics who sends me stuff whenever he can. Ain't much, but I hope we can atleast save some lives while those savages sharpen their sticks across the Colorado. We should be sticking a boot up Caesar's ass instead of sitting on ours here."_

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

Took me about a minute, but I figured out the breach load works the same as a single shot shotgun. Feels strange, holdin' this much firepower all in one hand. Coulda used somethin' like this back years ago in Baxter's Canyon. Or back in the Hopeville. Well, back when there was a Hopeville.

Word was that entire stretch of land just… well, exploded. Turned into the Divide that most know it today. Land even the Legion wouldn't wanna go through even with Hell on their tails. Nobody knows why it happened. But when it did, it cut off the shortest route possible from California to here.

Why am I think 'bout this? What Carpenter said. Don't disagree, but she hasn't seen what I've seen. Been far east 'nough ta know just what the Legion does best. Fear.

Whole towns surrendering to the Legion 'cause they're worse than any bunch of dumbass raiders. Enslaved course, but there as safe as houses. Nobody touches their property lest they wanna lose everythin' else. Even whole caravans will sign up with the Legion because their roads are at least safe. Plus no road taxes, no check points, no contraband searches.

NCR's my country. Would gladly die for her, but... we're killin' ourselves. We create a thousand different problems everywhere we go. Gamble lives of men on simple greed. Expand without fuckin' looking back on the cost.

On top of that: the Republic's divided. She probably knows it too. Redding, the Hub, Shady Sands, the rest of 'em. They ain't in it for the Republic, they're in it fer them themselves. They fight amongst themselves, screw each other over while everyone out here, the frontiers, gets the shaft end of it. Don't fuckin' care; long as the power and caps keeps on comin' in.

All that shit there… maybe that's the reason I'm still here. Why Boone or Carpenter or everyone else is still here. Some call it patriotism. Not really, we're here 'cause it's less shitty here than it is anywhere else. But that's gonna change real soon.

Wish the Legion would just kick the NCR in the jewels. Get 'em back where it needs to be. But even then it won't work. Christ, I'm thinkin' too much. I need a drink.

" _How much fer this?"_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

We found ourselves once more outside leaning on the banister; a cigarette held in either of our hands, smoke trailing away into the cold night.

 _"Angels, huh?"_ she stated, taking puff from the burning roll, _"Under normal circumstances, I'd find it all very exciting!"_

 _"Exciting? I'd say dangerous."_ I replied darkly.

 _"And why's that?"_ she asked with a half smile. I shrugged.

 _"I met Arcanum when I was about to be scorpion food. I met Advena when I was being used for machete practice. When they show…"_ I paused, taking a whiff, and then continuing, _"It's not for good reasons."_

 _"Heh, still though,"_ she chuckled, keeping up that deceptively happy face, _"exciting."_

 _"There is nothing in this verse that can dampen your spirit, is there?"_

 _"Nope."_

I had to laugh at that, no other alternative, just laugh. But eventually, it had to come down to this. I silenced the glare of my cigarette and turned to face her.

 _"All right, down to business."_

 _"What business?"_

She cautiously blotted out her cigarette, and took a step to the side. She had instinct. Now I needed to know what else she had up her sleeve.

 _"You are obvious a very smart, and if I do say so myself, very pretty woman,"_ I began with a curtful respect, earning a blush from her, _"But I'm going to be heading into some very dangerous country."_

 _"Well,"_ she smile a moment, and her eyes trailed down to her robe, _"I like punching things. I might say I have a talent for it."_

Uh. That was unexpected. Okay, time to put your money where your mouth is.

 _"Punching things…"_ I mused, and then I struck. I had no intention of actually hurting her, I just threw a fast roundhouse aimed just little above her head. A split second later I felt and heard a thud, but not the kind I was looking for. She'd blocked my arm, a very good and strong block, as an inward smile started to crease her face. I placed more pressure into my arm, but hers held firm.

I dropped back into a combat stance; my hands held loose. She did so as well; her smile widening as the two of us began to circle. She was stronger than I had given her credit for and she knew the rules of a fight. I watched her every movement, and then I prepped a feign with my hand. I then jabbed with my other, and she weaved to her left.

So she was fast, too. I advanced, and she treaded back. I threw another punch and she ducked to her right. I decided to end this game so I struck with a barrage of jabs and roundhouses. She just kept dogging and weaving.

She's had training. I shifted stance, feigned a jab, and then threw a fast ball to take her down. She saw it coming because she arched left, dodged my punch and then proceeded to push me to the side. I righted myself, just in time to block an incoming roundhouse. She then followed up with an attempted low blow to which I then blocked and countered.

She in turn counter blocked, but that was exactly what I wanted her to do. As she began to follow up; I spun and smacked her over the top of her head and stunned her for a second. Despite this, she then naturally dropped into a roll, came up and mounted a stiff defense to my advance. I kept up the pressure; knowing she could not keep blocking me forever. Then I found an opening: her right leg was starting to slack so I whip my leg around in for a kick.

Suddenly she dropped low, block my leg and then I felt a heavy fist slam right in and under my ribs. The wind was knocked out of me, my insides jiggled like jell-o and I could feel myself hovering off the ground. My world went into slow motion and I felt every stretch of pain like jabbing needs begin to pinprick my entire chest until it spread to my neck and then to my groin. Then like a shatter crescendo I hit the ground which just flared the burning feel into an inferno. I couldn't breathe; I felt a lead weight holding my lungs down with an overwhelming force.

 _"Easy,"_ she soothed as she knelt beside me and placed a heavy hand on my chest, _"that was a nerve cluster on your dosal gangalia. Take slow and easy breathes."_

I took the advice. Bit by bitter bit, my breathing began to return to its regularity.

 _"You… are… teaching… me… that… move."_ I rasped at the still smiling Veronica, almost to the point of mocking…

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

" _So 300 fer the Seventy-Nine, plus 168 for 6 40mm HE's, 2 Incendiary and 3 Plasma. Then throw in 650 fer the Walther you've got, and another 96 in ammo… plus 144 in Gideon's .45's…"_

 _"Carpenter's good on her word,"_ Boone interrupted, throwing off my mental count, _"no need to… do whatever it is you're doing."_

I glared at him from cross the table.

 _"First off, Mr. Shades-all-the-Time, don't tell me what I should and shouldn't ought ta do. Second, what I'm doing is called balancing yer accounts."_

 _"Okay, I still don't—"_

 _"In short, I'm ensuring we ain't being swindled here for a dime less. And yeah, I know you trust her, but the prime rule of thumb in caravanning is_ _always watch your wallet."_

 _"Are you always this… meticulous?"_

I gave him a wry 'ol grin.

 _"When it comes ta caps, water, shells and whiskey? Yes, always. Now where was I?"_

I peered back at my hand scribbled notes. Handwritin's atrocious, but least I can read it. I've using this old leather blank book fer a couple of years now. Hell, could even find when and how I'd started my caravan just by going back far 'nough… Ah here we go.

 _"Now add in meds, general-other-necessary-shit, whiskey… another 300… little 'bove 1,900 in change."_

With that done, I finally allowed myself a spirit or two from good 'ol El Diablo. Grabbed a couple shoties and tossed one over ta Boone. He looked at me funny.

 _"Don't drink."_

 _"What, let me guess; ya don't smoke either?"_

He shrugged.

 _"Well now yer in my company, so live a little. Not like it's gonna kill yer liver in the first go. That's what Tequila for. So c'mon and have a go."_

He stared at me fer, oh 'bout 7 seconds, 'fore he took my offer. He sputtered and coughed a little after the first. Couldn't help but smile a little.

 _"Good huh? When's the last time you'd had a drink?"_

 _"Back on the Strip… life time ago."_

 _"Ah well you've got some tougin' up ta do. Here,"_ I grabbed his shot and filled it to the brim, _"have another."_

I looked up at him and I froze. Boone was starin' past me, and the look on his face was like the face of death. A long time ago kind of death. Quickly I went fer the .40 at my hip and swung in my chair.

 _"Whoa Cass easy! It's just me!"_

 _"And who's that with you?"_

 _"Hi, I'm Veronica!"_

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

It couldn't be. Not here, not now. I—she looks… exactly like her. How? Why?

My mind went over the memory. The one I'd kept buried deep below the surface. I could see her, in the scope. See her looking right at me, seeing me. The look—I can't get it out of mind.

I couldn't even feel the recoil. Couldn't even feel anything. I—I could only her. Watch her fall to the ground. Down into a pool of red.

Why? Why are you doing this to me? I don't understand.

 _"Boone? Ya okay?"_

Her voice felt miles away. Like an echo. I felt numb. Couldn't feel anything, can't feel anything. Just like…

That night.

 _"Is he alright?"_

Voice. Drew me right back towards her. Sounds like her, the voice. The voice that haunts me at night. Voice that will always haunt me.

Everything about her… her heartshape face. Her cropped black hair. Her slender neck. The eyes… only thing different. Carla had blue eyes.

She has green.

 _"Boone, are you alright?"_

 _"No,"_ couldn't even hear myself say it, _"I… I need to take a walk."_

I only knew I was moving 'cause I could see it. Saw myself grabbing Red Hunter from the table. Instinctual. Just kept walking until I was out of sight.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _Did I do something wrong?"_ Veronica asked me sheepishly. I shook my head.

 _"No… Boone's gone through a lot,"_ I replied, watching the sniper round the corner, _"No. It was nothing you did."_

 _"Well, I don't want to exactly rock the boat."_

 _"Well now,"_ Cass jumped in, _"Yer certainly gathering us up faster than a flush in a poker game. Might even start call us a caravan now."_

 _"A caravan?"_ Veronica laughed, _"If it's a caravan, where's the cattle?"_

 _"Don't need cattle,"_ I interrupted, _"got a truck instead."_

That sent the ladies in a laughing spree. I would've joined them, but my mind was still focused on Boone. He was starting to worry me now.

 _"So we've got a robot, scruffy lookin' amnesia man, broody sniper—and me. Drunk washout with a shotgun! So, what do you do?"_

 _"I punch things."_

 _"Nice. Good addition. Well I'm Cass."_

 _"Veronica. Mind if I have some of that?"_

 _"Don't mind me. More the merrier, girl."_

 _"Thanks it's been a long night."_

Nope, can't stand it anymore. I've gotta go find him.

 _"Right, you two get acquainted. I'm going to go find Boone."_

I brush past the table, instinctively knowing ED-E was on my six. I didn't even hear Cass's remark. Probably something smartass like. I went past the shack that Boone disappeared behind and took a look. There was the road, a couple of tents to the right and a lot of the hills to the left.

No sight of him, though. And knowing his background, I would probably blend really well with the shadows. Then ED-E nudged me on the shoulder.

 _"What is it, buddy?"_

 _" Oooh… lookin' on the map… lookin' on the map! "_

 _"The map? Oh, the Sensorium!"_

Smart thinking. This late at night there wouldn't be a whole lot of people moving around. Plus on open ground with ED-E around; I knew I'd have about a 50 yard range. I flipped up the Pip-Boy and pulled up the motion tracker. Sure enough, at about my 8 o'clock and about… 15 yards out… yep, there's only one blip.

 _"Found him. C'mon, let's go get him."_

It took us less than a minute to reach him. There he was, sitting on a rock staring out at the Black Mountain. What the hell was he doing?

 _"Boone!"_

 _"Gideon."_

 _"What ya doing, man?"_

 _"Don't worry about me,"_ he finally turned around and faced me, _"Not going to off myself anytime soon."_

 _"That's not very comforting, Boone. C'mon man, what happened back there?"_

 _"Nothing you need to worry about."_

 _"Not good enough this time,"_ I replied sternly, but comfortingly… if that's even possible, _"I gotta know what happened. You practically froze and then walked out like you were in a trance. What'd you see back there?"_

 _"Gideon…"_

 _"Boone, think about it from my perspective. I need to know if this going to happen in the field, say we're under fire. And don't tell me it won't because I'm getting the feeling this has happened before. Look we're all alone out here. Just you and me… well 'cept ED-E but I doubt he's gonna tell anybody."_

 _" 'Cause you know my lips are… oh so very sealed! "_

He looked up at me and then at ED-E. Then he sighed and looked down at the ground.

 _"Don't know why but… Veronica? That her name? She… she looked almost exactly like Carla."_

Uh oh.

 _"What was her surname?"_

 _"Sorry?"_

 _"Carla. What was her surname?"_

 _"Kennedy."_

 _"Hers is Santangelo. Don't worry she's not some twin or clone or whatever. So that set it off?"_

 _"Yeah, I guess. I just… remembered."_

Part of me wanted to keep going. To keep digging and find out what lay at the bottom of this mind shaft. But that wasn't why I'd run all the way over here for. I was here to bring him back from the brink, not push him over.

 _"Boone,"_ I took a seat across from him on another rock, _"you don't need to push any of us away. May not seem it, but you can at least trust me. If you need to let any of this out… you needn't look any further."_

 _"It's not that I don't trust you,"_ he replied grimly, _"I've lived so long with this that I don't know what else to do with it."_

 _"Well now you've got choices. You're not a lone wolf anymore Boone. You've got a team this time. And we try not to keep secrets from each other."_

 _"Like you?"_

 _"Hey, I've got an excuse. I don't remember anything. But look, you keep me in the loop with whatever is going on with you, and you'll be the first to know if something on the psychic disposition comes up. Deal?"_

He stared at me for a long while before he reached out his hand and shook mine.

 _"Deal."_


	14. Chapter XIII: Trapped on a Mountain

**Chapter XIII:**

 **Trapped on a Mountain**

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

Ah my head. I felt as though someone had cracked open my skull and was driving a race car through my brain. Yet at the same time I felt as though I was floating like I was in water, utterly weightless. Then I started hearing sounds; echoes. They began bouncing around in my head like a Chinaman in 'Frisco playing ah what did Chang call it? Ping Pong?

Wait, who the hell is Chang? Yet before I could ponder some more; the sounds started growing more and more distinct. They were voices, but I couldn't understand them. Then they started growing louder and louder; escalating the pain as it did. Feel started coming back to me; I could feel my fingers now.

Then came the smell. It was as though I had walked into an overused outhouse and the occupants had been eating Frito pie all night long. It stank of utter shit, no lying there. Then one, raspy voice in particular grew above everybody else. He was speaking… Spanish?

 _"Ringo?"_ I asked painfully as I slowly opened my eye.

 _"Wrong Mexicano, Boss."_

What the hell? I looked about the room and the first thing that hit me that sitting across from me was a zombie. Like one of those from a pre war movie. I immediately dug my hand towards my holster… Ah shit. There was nothing there. The zombie then cocked a head at me and smiled:

 _"Take your time boss. I've got all day for you a joder, granted my knees may go from sitting like this. So por favor jefe, take your time."_

Not a zombie, but a Ghoul: a sarcastic one who had no qualms insulting me in a language that I had the understanding of an eight year old in. Well, I shouldn't have jinxed myself earlier when I said if things could get any weirder.

 _"'bout time, Gid. Afraid I was gonna have ta slap you awake again!"_

It was Cass. She was seated next to the grinning, smartass Ghoul and she looked like Hell. Her eyes were swollen, teary eyed and she had a long welt on the side of her face like she'd been kicked. A deep anger bubbled in my gut at this particular, but I suppressed it. Rage wasn't going to help if I couldn't think enough to get even.

 _"What happened to you, Cass?"_

 _"Ya mean what happened ta you?"_ she replied with a pained smile, _"you look worse than greased shit."_

That made the rest hit me. My throat felt like baked bread and my voice like it'd been punched too. Plus the fact I was squinting. Yep, I had been Tear Gased. But by who? And ontop of that, my face felt like it had been used as a punching bag.

 _"The hell happened?"_

 _"On the road,"_ Cass began simply, _"fucker's ambushed us and kicked our collective asses."_

 _"Ambushed?"_ I asked. Then it hit me like everything else that night.

 _"Aw shit…"_

* * *

 **Three hours earlier**

* * *

We were in the rover hitting the road. Cass was on shotgun with Boone and Veronica in the back, ED-E tucked away somewhere else.

 _"Ah, don't be such a pouty face, Mr. Shades! You've gotta have a smile in there somewhere!"_

It'd been Veronica. What had started as trying to apologize to Boone for inadvertently traumatizing him turned into a long series of making him completely uncomfortable.

 _"Ever hear of personal space?"_ Boone growled.

 _"Nope! Never even heard of it in my life!"_ She replied cheerfully, her smile just growing all the wider. She was enjoying this. Cass just began eying her rather suspiciously, and I really couldn't blame her.

 _"Should we…"_ she began in whisper.

 _"No."_ I replied in tone, _"Who knows, she might…"_

Then something flew past my head and hit the door, bouncing into the back seat.

 _"What the hell?"_ Cass exclaimed. I peered around and my heart stopped.

 _"Tear Gas!"_ I shouted but it was too late. The grenade spurted to life and the horrible white smoke emitted. I punched the accelerator to the floor, hoping to hit the gas with enough wind that it wouldn't overtake everybody here. Then when I turned my head, I was blinded. For the second time in a week I'd been flashbanged.

I hit the brakes while keeping the wheel as straight as I could, but I couldn't see shit. Nor could I hear anything either, but my first instinct was the keep the rover from crashing or tipping with us in it. Then something big and heavy grabbed me by my shoulder and yanked me out of my seat. I felt like I was flying then I hit the ground.

" _Owwww,"_ I could feel myself say as I tried to get back on my feet. Then the mother of all punches hit me square in the face and I was flying again. This time my back hit something hard. By then my hearing had been the first to return and I almost wished it didn't. Shotguns blasts, and then the crackle of something electrical. That was soon followed by a mechanical scream.

" _ED-E!"_ I screamed as the Browning cleared leather. My vision was still blurry but I could see something very big in front of me. My brain was on autopilot. I began firing wildly at it, lighting up my world in blinding flashes and loud concussions as the thing started recoiling from .45's hitting it. I kept shooting until my weapon went click.

Then I went for Parabellum and charged. I got about two feet and then something hit me over the head.

 _"And here we are."_

We were in a storage room reconfigured into a makeshift bedroom. No doubt belonging to the grinning, rotting son of a bitch in front of me.

 _"Stop grinning,"_ I growled with clenched teeth. That didn't seem to even remotely put him off.

 _"What boss? Can't stand the sight of the most apuesto hijo de puta you ever meet?"_

I had to smile at that. He did have a sense of humor, jagged as it was.

 _"Well I wouldn't exactly put you at handsome, you feo mierda."_

 _"Anybody wanna tell me what smack is being traded here?"_

" _Ah!"_ he laughed while clapping his hands comically, _"a man with culture! Well I can die happy now! Just do me the favor of feeding my fish when I'm gone!"_

 _"Fish?"_ Cass asked, _"Now this conversation has taken a nosedive from weird ta batshit nuts."_

The Mexican raised an eyebrow at her.

 _"Scratch that, you'd probably overfeed them, pelirrojo ranchero. And I'm not in the mood for a cielo acuosa!"_

 _"What?" s_ he asked again.

 _"Don't worry about it, Cass. He's just talking random nonsense."_

 _"Nonesense?"_ he squeaked indignantly, _"nonsense? My words? Hah, I'm getting too old for_ ** _your_** _nonsense."_

This was probably the longest conversation I had had with a ghoul that didn't with one trying to chew on my face. To those who don't know, a ghoul is what happens when a man survives getting nuked. This one in question looked like he had been burnt to a crisp and then had healed over that with moldy, red-pale scab like skin. But in truth, my description is pale in comparison to what actually happens. I remembered some genetic doctor from Navarro who once explained it to me.

I was seriously drunk at the time, so I can't recall the specifics. But I did remember him saying that somehow the radiation didn't kill the victim in question, it somehow alters them. Makes them practically immortal by slowing their aging. Sounds good right? Wrong. It makes their skin fall off over time like a snake shedding its skin and what grows over looks like, well a guy burned to a crisp and surviving.

A giant scab he described, plus the fact that no cartilage comes back. No nose, no ears, nothing. And for obvious reasons no hair. This one was… different. He looked like everything I just described but his eyes were bright, healthy blues that had a sarcastic look to them and on his lips was an honest to god drooping mustache.

Let me elaborate. Almost every ghoul that I have met didn't have pupils. Just milky white orbs that made them look blind. Granted, those were the ones who were driven completely insane and grew a taste for human flesh. Ferals. Basically zombies, and often the only way to take them down is to take their heads off.

He was also wearing a green jump suit with yellow lines down the arms and legs with the name Miguel stenciled into it. Next to that was a patch of a grinning little boy with an outrageously large hat. A sombrero? Meh, something like that.

 _"So Miguel…"_

 _"Name's Raul."_

 _"Why does your jumpsuit say Miguel then?"_ Cass asked in turn. He cocked his head and cracked a sarcastic smile at her:

 _"Probably because it belong to Miguel, pastel de fresas."_

 _"Don't call her that."_ I growled. Again, the cocking of the head and the sarcastic smile:

 _"Defensive are we? What, she your squeeze?"_

 _"NO!"_ me and Cass both exclaimed at the exact same time. With that he sat back with his hands behind his head chuckling:

 _"Heh, we'll see. Won't be long 'fore que se obtiene en sus bragas!"_

Before another word could be said or I could give into my ever growing anger; Cass beat me to the punch. Literally. Raul was rolling on the floor clutching his arm with her ready to rend the worst of a beatdown upon him. Naturally, I rushed to my feet and separated her from her intended punching bag.

 _"I understood that, ya zombie shit!"_ she growled as I walked her to a corner a long ways away from him. Yet when I turned my head to see him still grinning, I had to control myself not to sic Cass on him.

 _"Cass, just assume that anything he says in Spanish is an insult."_

 _"Right, well if he don't prove useful then can I kill him?"_

 _"You may."_

 _"Good,"_ she replied by cracking this disturbing sadistic grin that I found deeply troubling. Well, it was more than enough to wipe Raul's smugness from the surface of his face. With that I turned back to him and made way over to a chair next to a filing cabinet with Cass seated across from me.

 _"Alright Raul, walk us through it. Where we are and that sort of thing. And no sarcasm or…"_

 _"Or you'll sic her on me? I get the idea boss. Well on that, let's start over then."_

He stood, brushing off dust from his jumpsuit, and then gave us an elaborate bow.

 _"Raul Alfonso Tejada, I'm the mechanic around here."_

 _"A mechanic locked away in a closet with the door locked?"_ Cass chimed. He looked at her with an annoyed stare before he continued.

 _"Well when a giant, crazy Super Mutant with glasses and a wig tells you to fix toasters and about every Sunday a radio tower, you're inclined to do it. Maybe not you two, but I'm just a broken down old man."_

Well Shit. I hate Super Mutants. They're tough as nails and typically want to barbeque you over a spindle… wait did that actually happen to me? Ouch.

 _"How many Mutants are we talking here?"_

 _"Honestly, I can't say. Maybe twenty here, but they always send off patrols to drag up helpless damsels in distress… not saying you two are or your two friends either."_

 _"Friends? Who did you see?"_

 _"Some dama in a brown robe and a robot. Sound familiar?"_

 _"Veronica and ED-E,"_ I replied slowly, looking over at Cass who only shook her head.

 _"Did you see anybody else?"_ she asked, _"Particularly a guy with a red beret."_

He shook his head.

 _"I didn't see him, senora. You have my condolences."_

 _"No chance?"_

 _"None."_

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

Shit stacks. No other way of putting it. Shit stacks and does not stop. Least that's way it's been happening the past week. But this is just the worst.

I shifted from cover and made a silent trot to the next. Looked both ways, waited, listened, then moved again. Kept the rhythm up for a good minute until I got where I needed to go. High ground. Went around and came up the back of the hill.

Perfect vantage point. Went prone and started my recon. As I did, I reflected. Sniper Master always drilled into us:

 _"Reflect on everything. Note the changes and the circumstances. Reflect and then regroup your thoughts. Then get back into the scope."_

There'd been five of them. Well camouflaged and all armed with Colt Carbines. We never stood a chance. I got lucky. I got knocked out of the truck and rolled into a ditch while they attacked everybody else.

I had to escape. Wouldn't do them much good if I was dead or captured. But I will not abandon them; I will find a way to get them back. So I stayed back long enough to create some distance and I shadowed them for three miles before another patrol forced me to hide again. Three man team this time.

This one was different though. The other group was obviously a recon team. They were adorned in mishmash gille covers and their Carbines had suppressors. The other one though had hunting rifles and the big one a minigun. My guess is a defense column, which means their base is just up the road.

I can't go in the front. Watching from here there must be three more weapon squads positioned under good cover. Could try to pick them off from here, maybe lure them out. But I'm dealing with mutants here. Bigger, stronger and faster than me.

No, I can't risk it. I'll need to find another entrance. Infiltrate, gather Intel, then exfil out and come up with a plan. But I'll have a very narrow window to do it. Only maybe five hours of darkness left and then it'll be too hot to do anything.

If I'm right about the Mutants, they'll be dead by morning. I went to knee, checked Hunter one more time, pulled at the Bowie at my back and pulled at the MP-K harnessed to my chest. All good, time to move.

 _"He who dares wins,"_ I sighed remember the verse as I slid down the hill, Hunter in shoulder and making my way to the next hill. I moved in short burst from cover to cover, stopping, listening, checking all around and then sprinting to the next spot and doing the same again. Could hear voices up above me. Grumbling and babblings about things I couldn't understand. But it did provide me my first catch of the day.

They didn't expect company. I made my way around as the road went up a slant hill. Spent a minute creeping when I found my way in. Must've been some kind of back entrance, but it would serve me now. I made my way up through the gap in the rock wall and became crawling on all fours up the hill.

Then I heard it: sound of rock grinding on rock. I bolted, sliding to my left. Then a boulder came rolling down past me and colliding with the ground beneath. Then more followed it. Must've been a good minute before the shower stopped.

Looked up and I couldn't anything up near the lip of the hill. Dunno what caused the rockslide, but I need to be double careful here on up. I made my accent, stopping just below the lip. Slowly, carefully, I popped my head out and look at both sides of the road. I could see three of them seated behind a shack about 20 yards down.

Distracted, good. Now where am I going? There, at the end of the road another set of hills. I pulled down and moved up the road under the lip another ten feet before I came back up. No sense being out of cover any longer than I had to.

I went low and ran silent to the spot, diving in as I did. Another patrol, recon group, came down just a few seconds after I did. I gave them a long berth and waited until they were out of sight. Then I shuttled to my next cover: a broken wall. I blended into the shadows the moment I hit the spot.

Listened and waited, then I moved again. Went into the hill and belly crawled around a good twenty feet until I had to come up. I was situated behind some good cover: broken walls covering my back and sides. I took a look at the route I took, observing the patrols and the patterns to which they made their rounds.

They changed guard every 30 minutes, moving from bottom up and those ontop down. Good to know.

" _Wait,"_ I whispered. There was something wrong. Breathing, I could hear breathing. Slow, barely audible but it was there. But where?

I looked behind me, nothing. Was it just my imagination?

" _Die human!"_

From the corner of my eye, something materialized out from the shadows. Instincts kicked in. I pulled myself forward into a roll and dashed a good several yards. Then there was a loud _clang_ as something metal hit the stone underbrush. I couldn't afford a gunfight being exposed, so I opted to run.

I tucked Hunter under my arm and sprinted to a bolder 15 paces ahead. I slid down the hillside past the boulder and coming up onto the underside. When I reached it, I had my weapon up and ready to take out whoever was following me. Yet when I got there; there was nobody there.

Then it hit me. Super Mutants are heavier than humans. I should've heard it charging after me and it wouldn't have hesitated to do so… Oh hell. Nightkin.

I immediately dropped back from the rockface and trotted down the hill to find better cover. But I hadn't gone five feet when I heard a crackling sound like electricity. I rolled to my side as something metal hit the ground. I turned on my back, Red Hunter placed firmly into my shoulder when I froze. The thing was… monstrous.

The thing was a physical giant, towering over me twice over. It was big, heavily muscled with scraps of clothing covering over its pale blue skin. It glared at me from a contorted face. Ugly, misshapen with a mouthful of jutting, oversized slabs for teeth. Yet it was the eyes that scared me.

I lie, terrified me. They were white orbs with a little block oval where the pupil should have been. They looked… crazy. Oddly, the thing just stood there and stared at me. Like I was doing now.

I took my chance and I fired. Held at the angle I had it to; the kick was heavy as the FMJ .308 round exploded outward. The sound was like the crack of thunder slamming into the salt patties up I-88 as the shot lit up the night around me. The round hit the thing in the chest and it doubled over. Have to finish it.

I moved, bolting in another round. I came upon the thing; its chest a bloody mess. My weapon was a marksman's rifle but it was based off of a hunting one. Designed to kill old-world deer out from 500 yards with a single placed shot under the armpit. I'd never encountered a mutant before, but I heard the stories. I sure as Hell wasn't going to take the chance this was still going to chase me.

I placed the barrel right in its face. Then the thing grabbed me and hurled me into the air. I hit the ground face first. Felt as though I'd been suckered in the chest. Couldn't breathe, seeing white.

Damn it, where's Hunter? Oh hell.

" _Stupid human! I'll rip your spleens out and eat them!"_

I felt the kick like the Brahmin broadsiding me when I was a kid. Started flying until my back hit the rock. Not sure what hurt more. My ribs, which were probably cracked, or my back. Shit that hurts.

Then I heard him running. He was pissed now. Going straight for the kill instead of getting whatever the hell he was swinging at me. No time to find Hunter now. Time to improvise.

" _Stupid human! I'll rip your arms off and chew on them!"_

" _Yeah eat this!"_ I croaked my ribs burning as I spoke. I drew the MP-K and I let it rip. The blowback crackled as hot lead started flying from the ejector like hot acid rain. The burst blazed in the night like fire, spurting in and out as the rounds impacted at 550 a second. I'd started at the hip and slowly started moving up as blue skin son of a bitch was ripped apart vertically. Within seven seconds it was over.

The thing fell back with a sound that beckoned its sheer size and weight. Blood pooled from the 33 holes I'd put in it. Most had been centered on its chest, which steamed hot from the heat. Not taking any chances. I rose, my entire torso ache like a gauntlet run back in basic and drew the Bowie.

Felt woozy, wanted to throw up. Hold it in, gotta move fast. I dispatched it with a blow to the side of the head. Damn thing almost didn't want to come out, had to yank it clean. Now, gotta get out of here now; nose bound to draw everything on me.

" _Find cover,"_ I whispered to myself. Insides flared like fire when I'd spoke. Ignore the pain, Craig, focus on moving. I turned my head and spotted Hunter out in the distance. Hurt to run, but it hurt less than to talk. I can take it.

Quickly scooped it up and tucked it under my arm. Now I need to find cover. Then something's shadow came up from behind and swallowed me up. Tried to move, but the thing was too fast. Massive arms shade of green scooped me up by the chest.

Another Mutant. Before I could so much as breathe, the thing had cupped a hand the size of my face over my mouth. I started struggling, trying to reach for the Bowie on my back when the thing whispered into my ear:

" _Stop human. If you wish to live a second further you will stop."_

The voice… was different. Not crazy like the other one. Reasonable, intelligent. Only hope now. I did what he said and we were moving.

He held me like a ragdoll. Probably could hold me up for miles and not even notice. He ran for about a minute before we hit a rock. Then I saw it for what it was. Not a rock, a gille tent.

He tossed me in and I was bathed in absolute darkness only broken when it came in through. The air felt musty. Hot even despite the cold night. I felt around, equipment of sorts lodged about. Couldn't tell what though.

" _Keep silent, human,"_ the Mutant spoke in the darkness, _"Tabitha's patrols will be sweeping through here in a few minutes. Most won't be able to tell we're here, so let's keep it that way."_

" _I understand. Did you—see anybody else?"_

" _Your friends are alive for now. How much longer depends on her and her… moods. What's your name human?"_

" _Boone,"_ felt like a hot iron poking me saying, _"you?"_

" _Neil."_

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

My head felt like somebody had performed craniotomy on me and had then rummaged around in my skull. I tried to open my eyes, but there was a burning bright light above me. Wait am I dead? The aches and pains in my limbs told me otherwise. And on the pain in ass side of things, I couldn't move them either.

Eventually, my vision returned. I looked around and I saw I was in somekind of storeroom. A danky, smelly storeroom. Yeesh. Could it kill them to clean up after themselves once in a while?

Wait, whose they? Then I remembered. And with that I knew where I was. Black Mountain.

" _Could this day get any worse?"_ I groaned sarcastically, then I looked down and I knew it had. The Mutants must've been really surprised when they stripped off the robe. Hell, they must've been trying to pry me out of this thing for a while now. I could see all the tiny spots where they must've applied drills. This was only further confirmed when I saw ting shards of drill bit and sheet metals all around me on the floor.

I smiled smugly. Big dumb Jolly Greens couldn't pry this armor off even if I was missing a head to voice deactivate it. Wait; don't think about that, Veronica. You'll just jinx yourself one step further. No need to do that.

I then looked down my left leg and I sighed in relief. At least they couldn't figure out how to remove the Gauntlet from my thigh. If they had; then I'd really be in trouble. Okay V, how you gonna get yourself out of this? I tried the bonds.

Well they're smarter than I gave them credit for. They had tightened me down so much that I literally couldn't get the pressure space needed to tear out. I even tried wiggling out to see if I could loosen them. No luck. But they were only made of leather.

I just need something to cut myself out. I looked for something that could do the job, but there was nothing within reach. Hmm, looks like I'm going to have to improvise. Well time to be a smartass.

" _Hey! Big and ugly! Where are you!? I ordered breakfast twenty minutes ago and you still haven't brought it up! What am I paying you people to do? Oh don't tell me you're smooching in the halls!"_

I smiled when I heard the heavy footfalls of the Jolly Greens. About a second later, the door swung wide with a loud crash and in walked about the ugliest thing you could think of times a hundred all covered in pale green. Wait, why does he have mouth suspenders? Ugh, that just makes looking at his teeth all the worse now.

" _Shut face, human!'_ it growled at me with the sound of stone grinding on metal combined with a nasal blockage, " _Make Noggas head hurt!"_

" _Head hurt? Why you big dumb ape! I'll make the rest of you hurt if you don't bring what I ordered! Blueberry pancakes with eggs and syrup! And for you being late you can kiss your tip good bye!"_

" _Shut face shut face!"_ he screamed clutching at the side of his head with hands so big he probably couldn't hold a chicken egg without breaking it into a gooy, yellow mess.

" _No! You want me to shut face you're gonna have to cut me loose!"_

" _Noggas not cut you loose! Noggas guard!"_

" _Noggas is a big diny head!"_

" _Not diny head!"_

" _Are too! You a big pudding head! Your brains are made of donkey goop!"_

" _Shut face, stupid human!"_

Suddenly he produced a giant butcher knife like that guy from Psycho. However, unlike that scene I sure as hell wasn't a damsel in distress naked in the shower. He came at me, intent on gutting me and probably eating me for dinner. He swung down and the blade hit my chest with a loud _clang!_ For a second he seemed confused, until he brought up the bent up blade.

" _Noggas confused! Noggas not—"_

" _Noggas gonna go sleepy now."_

The Jolly Green had stabbed me right on the chestplate, which had been strapped down. One bent knife and slightly dented plate later, and I was free. I swung right across the table with my left and smacked him right over his head where a nerve cluster just above the left eyebrow lay. He dropped like a pile of bricks. I then quickly ripped my bonds off and jumped off the table.

I peered around just to make sure I was alone, and then I snapped Noggas's neck like a twig. Then I heard another door open and I froze. I'd gotten lucky with this Jolly Green being a royal blockhead, but any more with half a brain and I'd be in trouble real quick. The guttural, nasal voice that followed only confirmed my suspicions.

" _Noggas okay? Heard big noise. Noggas okay?"_

I thought fast and I made a more or less adequate impersonation of the big dead Super Mutant lying down at my feet:

" _Noggas okay! Dumb, tiny human make too much noise. Make Noggas head hurt. Shut her up!"_

" _Not kill her?"_

" _Not kill her! Make her go sleepy."_

Then a thought occurred to me:

" _Noggas wonder where other humans are. Wonder when we gonna chew 'em up!"_

" _Noggas idiot! Leader want humans alive! Wonder how they have rolly thing!"_

Rolly thing? Must mean the Rover. Yeah, I'd be curious too if complete strangers came in on the blacktop with one. Well karma's a hag.

" _Noggas wonder where humans be kept!"_ I pressed the question with him. I have to find out where everybody is before I make my way out of here. There was a long pause before the other guy finally answered:

" _Noggas know that already! Place called Maintaa-nnni…"_

Maintenance? Good to know. Now enough of this jazz. I reached down to my thigh and detached the nuematic Power Fist from the locking clamp. I placed my hand into the glove and almost immediately the servos inside clicked to life.

With a hiss of hydraulics, the armored carapace folded around my hand and locked into place. Then I flexed my fingers through the armored glove and at last hitting the activation button in my palm. The onboard fusion battery crackled into life and the hydraulic press shield (or as I like to call the hammer) slid into position in front of my hand followed by the kinetic piston.

" _Noggas making funny noises! Why make funny noises?"_

I did one finally manual check. The compressor was nominal; the Oh-Two exhausts were good. Alrighty then. You know the music, time to dance.

" _Noggas doing what—"_

" _Surprise!"_

I lunged from the room, using the door as a springboard to give me just enough momentum for me leap into the air and come down upon the mutant. The Fist smashed into its face; the piston generating an enormous drag force that sent the hammer forward with the sound and strength of a freight train. The mutant was sent colliding backwards and slammed into the wall with such force it left an indent. Its head was a mask of pulverized flesh and smashed bone, but somehow the thing was alive! I wasn't truly surprised; they were of course the walking weapons of an ancient abomination poised to annihilate us mere humans.

So of course they were going to be hard to kill. Before it could move again, I struck once more. And with that the head was no more.

" _Messy."_

All I could say. I spent the next minute trying to wipe the blood, bone and brain matter that now liberally covered the gauntlet. Not fun, let me tell you. A piece of skull was lodged in the steam exhausted, so I had to disengage the glove and actually remove it with a lay about screwdriver. Once that was done, I made a quick search of the room.

It was about as barren as the room I'd woken up in. Nothing here but a bunch of old cupboards and broken terminals. Man, these idiots let these things rust to crumble. I'm going to have to teach them a lesson in proper tech maintenance… with my fists. Then something rather obvious hit me in a way that made me feel so stupid that I facepalmed my own… well, face.

" _There are only two of them here,"_ I breathed. It was clear these chumps knew how dangerous I was. So why were there only two of them here? Surely there had to be more to haul us here; let alone ambush us. So where was everybody else?

I sighed. Well, I sure as hell wasn't going to find that out stuck here in this glorified closet. I moved to the door and open it just a smidgen. Just enough for me to peek in and listen. Up ahead looked like a bigger room than the one I'd come out of, with rows upon rows of desks and tables filled with rusted old junk.

I opened it some more, and there looked like a workbench just in front of me with a bunch of power tools scattered on the end I could see. I then opened it enough for me to poke my head through. Nope there was nobody here.

" _Let's go take a look-see."_

I opened the door all the way and dove for the table just in front of me. Part of me wondered if the Jolly Greens had brought those blue-skinned bastards, so I took the precaution of taking cover. I listened for anything out of the ordinary. Nope still nothing. Okay let's see—

" _Ow!"_ I messaged my head. I had bumped it against something—oh hell.

" _ED-E… what did they do to you?"_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _You call that a plan!?"_

" _Don't see any other choice, Rosa. I've tried to go through the door many occasions."_

" _Let me guess,"_ I interrupted, _"they always have a couple next door just to catch you?"_

" _And here I was think you were just a tuerto cabeza de carne!"_ he replied with a smile that made his mustache twirl slightly, _"Glad to see you're not! I might even start liking you—"_

" _Alright, alright! 'Nough with the chatter you kiss-ass zombie!"_

" _My my, the mouth on you. Do you—"_

" _You so much as mention my mother and I will knock out whatever teeth you have left!"_

" _My teeth?"_ he raised his hands to cover his head as he backed a foot back, _"Don't touch my teeth! You may kick my culo guapo any way you wish but leave them alone!"_

As if to overstate his plead; his mouth opened up to reveal… shinny white teeth? Cass looked kind of shocked as well, giving me the _you seeing this_ look. Most ghouls that I've met are very, very old. We're talking ancient. So a good majority of them are actually missing most if not all of their teeth, granted they often looked like the cherry top of some diseased carcass.

" _How the hell are your teeth so damn white?"_

He smiled at me with an odd twinkle in his eye.

" _I'm a connoisseur when it comes to los blancos viejos, boss. Only one of two things I like to keep well and truly good. Makes up for my shit eyesight and my even shitter knees."_

" _You are bizarre as fuck, zombie. And I don't say that often."_

" _Chica like you? I'm surprised at that!"_

" _The hell's that suppose ta mean!?"_

" _Damn it you two!"_ I bellowed at the pair of fools who were starting to drive me nuts with their endless banter. I've had enough of this shit.

" _We don't have time for this! We have to get the hell out of here before it is too late! If I hear one more word out of either of you that isn't about getting out of here, then I will club you cold and leave you to get eaten by the freakshows outside!"_

Deafly silent. Only way I can describe it. Lasted only about fifteen seconds:

" _She started it!"_

That's it. I grabbed an ashtray and I hurled it at the smartass. Yet he properly dodged it and the ashtray hit the wall instead. He looked at me indignantly, and I prepared to grab a thermos that was just laying about for no reason.

" _Whoa, boss, whoa! I get the idea!"_

" _You sure? This thermos would look nice on your face."_

" _As much as I would mind a face redecoration, I'm not in the mood for a metal job! I'll be quiet now."_

" _Thank you. Cass, you good?"_

" _If I had whiskey, sure. But I'll manage."_

" _Good,"_ I replied as I placed the thermos in the center of our "map", _"let's go over the plan then."_

The Pip Boy was meant to be the most perfect portable and practical computer device ever built. As such it had a massive catalogue of maps and information regarding said maps. But there was one problem. Most of the maps were outdated by nuking which had changed much of the landscape or some other human factor had changed things to a degree that such maps would be pointless to use. We were dealing with the latter here.

The moment I had pulled out the map on the Black Mountain Radar Observation Base, Raul pointed out multiple changes that the Mutants had made to the base. They had reconstructing many new buildings and demolished several old ones. Fortunately, before being 'grounded', Raul had traveled about enough to give us a general idea of the layout of the Super Mutant encampment. That had been represented by the mismatched assortment of junk I had assembled to create an idea of where we needed to go. Raul took one more look at it, nodded his approval and started the briefing:

" _This is us here,"_ he pointed to an empty .38 ammo box, _"first; we need to get your gear back. Without a substantial amount of bullets and bombs, we can nuestros asnos un beso adios before we've even started. Unless Tabitha's suddenly had a sudden mood swing and decided to move everything over somewhere else, they should be located here,"_ he pointed a deck of cards to the far right of where we were separated by a big open space as well as three cups hugging a wire that represented the perimeter fence, _"we'll use the air vent system in this building to sneak outside."_

Cass visibly grumbled at this. She was claustrophobic in very tight spaces. That was why she was going to be in the middle with me in the back and Raul in the front.

" _Assuming basta de piel verde don't spontaneously spring on us from a cleverly concealed cardboard box, we'll make our way here to the fence. From there we hug it and sneak past oh about a dozen or so all heavily armed and ready to eat us at first chance."_

" _You're not sounding optimistic."_

" _Would you prefer if I said we could just stroll out of here and casually shoot them without even aiming? Boss, this plan is as stupid as anything I can come up with it, but we're stuck with it."_

" _I'd rather take slim over being stuck in here."_

" _See? That's what I like about you, jefe. You have an unnatural hope that everything is va a ser color de rosa!"_

" _Never said anything about this being peachy,"_ I replied with a smile, _"but I can work with this."_

" _Sure boss. Happy to die screaming right next to you and your—companion. Now where was I? Ah yes. Assuming we aren't chewed to bits, we then make our way to the store room."_

" _What sorta building is it?"_ Cass asked.

" _It's one of the few prewar building the mutants haven't torn down yet. Two stores, and it has a balacany with a door I know is never locked."_

" _How high up is it?"_

" _High enough you'd have to stand on somebody. Hopefully not me, these old bones cannot stand up to much."_

" _Would you like to test that theory?"_ Cass grinned at him. Raul shook his head.

" _Sure when we don't have crazy mutants looking to grill us. Granted, probably not even after that."_

" _We're getting off topic here,"_ I cut in, _"once we get onto the balcony and hopefully through a not locked door, what should we expect?"_

" _One very stupid mutant. Guys got rocks instead of brains, so they stuck him somewhere where he wouldn't cause trouble. Shouldn't be too difficult to put down."_

" _Should?"_ I asked with a raised eyebrow. He grinned.

" _Come on boss, I thought you were the one who said he could work with impossible odds and now you tener los pies frios?"_

" _Point taken. So they should have everything we need?"_

" _Unless you've got something Tabitha's all keen about, say an impossible, army vaporizing hammer of el dios that looks like a toy."_

" _That a joke, Raul? Because if you've got one of those lying around…"_

" _I kidd, boss. If these el piel verde de estupidos had one, don't you think I would've used it right about now? Instead of playing the not so pretty damsel in distress?"_

" _I dunno,"_ Cass chimed in, _"get you in a dress and I think you could play the part."_

" _Gracias, pero no gracias."_

" _So once we arm up, we'll need to then locate the rest of our party. Where would they be?"_

" _The robot's easy. See the freakshow of this whole thing, Tabitha, has been trying to fix some old Mr. Handy for a while now. Even though I've opened him up three times now. That lata oxidada vieja lata is as dead as my sex life."_

" _Okay… didn't need to know that."_

" _So they'd gut him for parts?"_

I knew the answer already. If they so much as scratch his hide, I'm going to drop a whirlwind of pain on these fuckers. But that'll have to wait.

" _So where would he be?"_

" _He?"_ he looked at me funny.

" _You heard me, he. So where is he?"_

" _Here,"_ he pointed at a cup across the compound directly in front of us to the left of the massive tequila bottle that served as the long range radio tower, _"and considering your oddly dressed friend isn't with us, that'd mean she's got something special on her. She could be anywhere."_

" _Special?"_ Cass asked, _"I mean, don't get me wrong she's cute and a big smarty pants, but—"_

" _I think I know why,"_ I interrupted, _"I've suspected sense she—well—"_

" _Kicked your ass?"_ Cass inquired with a wry smile. I nodded.

" _She's had training. I mean very serious training. On top of that she was verbally dissecting ED-E part by part. Then she asked me if I'd heard of the Brotherhood."_

" _Brotherhood? You don't think—"_

" _I do. And Boone's not gonna like it."_

Cass nodded solemnly. The Republic was still recovering from their war with those techno-hoarders. And when I say recovering… well they nearly bankrupted the NCR when they blew up their entire gold depository. Tons upon tons of gold, gone. And that's not even the worst of it.

So it wasn't too unlikely what might happen should Boone figured out what we figured out. Well, another problem for another day.

" _So to make that trip, we're going to have to cross a very big open field with all the cards stacked on their side. Even if we had heavy machine guns, they'd cut us down with a snap."_

" _Not if we take out the tower,"_ Cass pointed out by tipping over the tequila bottle, _"big enough boom at the left side should bring it down towards us."_

" _Be a good distraction,"_ Raul nodded, _"provide us cover as we go in. You can make that shot?"_

With this, Cass grinned.

" _I can."_

* * *

 **Translation**

 _apuesto hijo de puta_

handsome son of a bitch

 _feo mierda_

ugly shit

 _pastel de fresas_

 _strawberry shortcake_

 _que se obtiene en sus bragas_

 _he gets in your panties_

 _tuerto cabeza de carne_

 _one-eyed meathead_

 _culo guapo_

 _handsome ass_

 _l_ _os blancos viejos_

 _the old whites_

 _nuestros asnos un beso adios_

 _we can kiss our asses goodbye_

 _tener los pies frios?_

 _have cold feet?_


	15. Chapter XIV: Shadow of the Mountain

**Chapter XIV:**

 **Shadow of the Mountain**

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

The vent grate hit the ground a little louder than I would've liked, but I was none the more happier to get the hell out of that dreary, undersized metal trap. I could certainly say that, and more, for Cass. She'd been like a scared cat crossing a busy New Reno road and I had had to coax her every crawl of the way as we made our way through. I'd be the first to admit I'm a fairly large man, so that made the journey something of a delicate squeeze and with me having to motivate the claustrophobic Cass to move inches at a time… sure as hell wasn't a party. Raul on the other hand was able to move about in the darkness with an ease that I envied.

Small structured bastard. He was a short, thin little man that looked more like a skeleton than something alive.

" _God, fresh air!"_ Cass squealed as she practically leapt from the vent and onto the ground with a near feline finesse. I on the other hand ended up tumbling out and hitting the ground with an audible _thud._ As I brushed myself off, Raul smirked at me and I knew he was resisting the urge to laugh. I glared at him and gave him the _you so much as chuckle I'll rip your guts out_ look _._ He proceeded to give me a shit eating grin.

" _Never forget I have an easy sixty pounds on you and you've done nothing but piss me off all night long,"_ I half whispered, half growled at the zombie. He shrugged his shoulders.

" _Never forget you have zip to zero of escaping without me, boss."_

" _Touché. Don't mean I have to like it."_

" _Bien por tu."_

" _Oh fuck you, you rotting zombie."_

" _First, I stopped rotting a century back. Second, my gilipollas has seen better days, so your funeral. Third, don't tempt me. I might just go for your brain."_

" _Never one without a response, eh?"_

He smiled deeply and lightly chuckled to himself:

" _I try, boss."_

" _If we survive this, I might just have to hit you on principle alone."_

" _Wouldn't blame you."_

Had to smile at that. Nothing would put this guy down and I admit I respected that.

" _I think I'm starting to like you,"_ my gaze turned to Cass and then back to Raul, _"can you do some recon and make sure we're alone?"_

Instead of a smartass remark, he simply nodded and disappeared around the corner. Cass... wasn't in good shape. She was huddled in a ball; rocking back and forth with her head buried in her legs, shivering like she'd been dropped into a cold mountain stream.

" _Hey,"_ I soothed softly as I comforted her, _"you okay?"_

It took a moment before she responded:

" _I don't like tight spaces."_

" _I know."_

" _Don't ask me to do that again."_

" _If I do, you have permission to slug me."_

She turned her head and looked at me weirdly. I shrugged:

" _If it makes you feel better. Just don't aim for the face."_

She smiled slightly:

" _That might be a challenge. You have a very punchable face."_

My turn to look weird:

" _Thanks, I guess?"_

" _You're welcome."_

" _Well, you ready to move out?"_

She nodded, and I helped her to her feet. Yet before I could take point, she tugged on my shoulder. I turned, and she pressed something into my hand. From the feel, I knew it was a switchblade.

" _Had it hidden in my boot. But I think yer better with a knife than me. I want it back, though."_

" _Your mothers?"_

" _No. Just a good knife is all. Took it off a fellow drunkard back in Shady Sands."_

I hit the release button and the blade popped through the top of the hit. She was right. It was a good knife. I clicked it back into the guard position and hid it up my sleeve.

" _C'mon. Raul's just up ahead."_

We rounded the corner when Raul waved us to get down. No sooner than we did than a patrol of three Super Mutants marched past us, their footfalls causing slight tremors in ground as they moved. Their massive muscled frames were adorned with a mismatch of armor that looked like it'd been made from welded together scrap metal and tire rubber for shoulder poltroons. Wouldn't stop bullets, but it would make close combat all the more trickier with them.

" _Christ, did you see the size of them?"_ Cass breathed at my elbow, _"Bastards could probably throw the three of us around like a football."_

" _Trust me, seniora,"_ Raul whispered, _"they get even bigger than that. All right, let's go."_

We quickly low crawled our way forward and then dashed to another building, hugging the wall the moment and sliding to the far corner. Raul was on point and he poked his head around.

" _See anything?"_

" _Those three are hanging around at the entrance of the building. Joder. Could they not piss faster?"_

" _Seriously?"_ Cass inquired.

" _Well if you can call that pissing. More like radioactive goop than piss. Wait… they're done and moving."_

" _Let's go then."_

We popped around the corner and made a dash for the building.

" _Buildings made of stone and concrete,"_ Cass whispered at my elbow as we moved, _"could muffle any noise in there."_

" _Could,"_ I replied, _"but I don't wanna take chances. We do this quiet."_

With that, she nodded. We gave it a good minute before we made a move for the balcony. Considering I was both the heaviest, but also the strongest of the group we made the split second decision that I'd go first into the breach. Cass cupped her hand and I stepped into it; her grunting the while as she hoisted me up onto the building. I then low crawled my way past the low hanging wall and onto solid ground; the switch knife clenched in my hand as I look about for any sign of movement.

There was none. I look up into the sky and saw the beginning of a storm front as pitch black clouds shrouded the moon in their embrace. This was a good score for us. The darkness would give us good cover and may even give us the opening to get the jump on these mutated bastards. Hopefully though they can't see in the dark or otherwise that advantage just got flipped on us.

" _No, don't think about that,"_ I whispered to myself, _"You've already jinxed yourself tonight. Best not to do it again."_

I made my way back to the edge and pulled up first Cass then followed by Raul.

" _Took your time, jefe."_

" _Hey you were the one worried about cleverly concealed cardboard boxes. I'm just making sure one doesn't spring on us out of nowhere."_

" _If you two are done dick measuring over there,"_ Cass growled from the darkness, _"can we get a move on? That cloud cover's only gonna last fer a bit."_

" _Right. Raul, what's our next move?"_

" _Like I said: uno stupido del mutant."_

" _Right. The one with rocks instead of brains."_

Quickly and quietly we made our way down the stairs when suddenly the Sensorium started beeping softly. I held up a clenched fist; unveiling the Pip-Boy from the cover of my sleeve and pulling up the map. Sure enough there was a large dot pacing back and forth on our three o'clock about thirty feet out. I popped my head around the corner seeing the next hallway clear of hostiles and we began our advance. As we got closer and closer the large blip got clearer and clearer until we reached the half-opened door at the end of the passage.

" _He's right in front of us,"_ I whispered softly.

" _I got an idea,"_ Cass replied, popping her head through the door for a second before returning, _"the room is too wide fer us to try and take him. He'd rip us all a new one 'fore we could bring him down. But in here..."_

" _You wanna draw him in?"_

" _Mmm hmm. Wait fer him to pop his head through then we grab him. Get him on the floor and shank his ass."_

" _Alright. We'll still need a way to draw him in."_

" _Well we could start throwing a ruckus in here—"_

" _No, we need him to come in here without being cautious—"_

" _So what the hell—"_

Before either one of us could say another word, Raul brushed past us and kicked open the door. After giving us a broad wink, he marched and shouted:

" _Hey amigo! You double crossing pile of mierda verde! You cheated me at cards! I want my caps back, tu esmeralda mierda mancha!"_

" _The fuck is he doing!?"_ Cass cursed softly.

" _Baiting the trap. Quick, get to cover."_

We dived into another room to our left, and no sooner than we did Raul came running down the hall shouting:

" _C'mon big boy! Fresh rotting carne this way!"_

Suddenly the ground shook with heavy footfalls as the mutant gave chase. Then before either one of us could even count: it was in front of the door. As it passed us, I reared up and barreled right into the mutant; throwing my bodyweight into my shoulders as I broadsided the thing with everything I had. The blow threw the mutant into the wall which crumpled under its monstrous mass; yet with inhuman speed it recovered and swung its weapon, a nailboard, right back at me. As it swung I dropped into a roll, just barely missing the impact as I came up right behind the bastard.

With this, my mind ran through the dilemma I was presented with in a matter of heartbeats. The mutant was incredibly thick in muscle which meant with only the switchblade I'd be able to make superficial wounds at best. A direct stab down its skull cap would be an automatic lights out but it stood a good foot and some change taller than me which meant I wouldn't be able to generate the needed force and momentum to penetrate its thick bone. That left me with only one option, and it was a terrible one because of how exposed it would leave me. I was going to have to slit its throat, and that meant I going to have pull a Crazy Monkey: jump on its back, hold on tight and do as much damage as I could before the thing yanked me off.

As it moved to swipe at me again, I made my move. I leapt onto its back, the blade slashing at its arms and back on the way up. I lock my arms around its neck, but before I could properly get in position; the mutant started whirling about like a manic kid fucking around. I hadn't the time to secure my legs, so I was being thrown about with only my arms and my tenacious stupidity preventing from splattered against a wall. But eventually it wised up and just grabbed me by my arms and threw me into the next room.

The impact of the wall threw me into near unconsciousness, and as I lay on the floor bleeding, my ribs feeling like they'd taken the mother of all beatings, my ears ringing like churchbells and my lungs held shut by iron weights: the sound of the outside world dimmed to subtle echoes that were overshadowed by my harsh breathing. My vision was constantly shifting from wakefulness to darkness, my brain feeling too battered to think properly. Then after a time that felt an age but probably less than a few seconds I felt tremors in the floor. I looked up and I saw death waiting for me in a shadowed figure. It raised its club and I knew my ride was over.

Then the air was ravaged by a blood curdling scream and another figure tackled my executioner into a counter. It was then that it dawned on me that this must have been a kitchen or somekind of mess hall. Then I heard the unmistakable sound of iron impacting bone, not once but four consecutive times. As this happened, I began to crawl my way off the floor. My arms felt utterly weak, shacking from the effort and from the extreme nausea that my head swim in its own collective floods but eventually with lungs that felt they were going to burst; I'd managed to get into the fettle position.

As I looked back at the counter on the eve of the fourth _thwang_ that shook the room, my vision cleared. It was Cass standing over the mutant with an iron skillet. At first I thought she'd stopped because she'd sufficiently bashed the Super Mutants brains in, but on a closer look I saw the real reason. The skillet had literally caved in under the impacts! Then the Mutant displayed once it's near impossible endurance by swiping his arm at Cass and throwing her aside like she'd been nothing more than a bug.

" _Ugly girl hurt Bulk! Bulk smash ugly girls head!"_

The Mutant gripped the club in both hands and raised it high above its head. Then out from the doorway, Raul came in from behind and delivered a kick to the family jewels. Not only did it do nothing but annoy the brute; the blow had jarred Raul's foot badly, who hobbled about clutching shrieking at the top of his lungs:

" _Dios mio! Que diablos estan las pelotas hechas de!?"_

" _Bulk smash smelly man man!"_

Then the nail board came down like an executioners axe.

" _Smelly man leave Bulk alone!"_

As the club practically destroyed the floor, Raul leapt back like a startled cat on its ninth life. I struggled to rise, slamming the knife into the wall and using it as a prop as I clawed my way off the floors. My head was spinning and my vision flickered in and out of the darkness. I held myself steady s my knees shook from the effort. I closed my single eye and tried to focus my mind into some semblance of working.

There was no way in hell we could take that thing down with what we have. I need… something. Anything to put some hurt on that bastard and fast.

" _Hey shithead! Catch!"_

I turned to see Cass smashing the Mutants head in with a cutting board, which literally disintegrated into pieces upon impact. Then Raul followed up by smacking a pot over his cranium. While it sent the monster staggering, the pot had been bashed in to where it no longer resembled a pot.

" _Mi dios. How hard is your dumb head?"_

The Mutant responded with a swing that took out a fridge before it messaged its battered head.

" _Bulk not feel right."_

" _Bulk gonna feel a lot worse!"_

That was when Cass buried a cleaver into its weapon hand right above its wrist. On a human the hand would've been done and gone in a bloody mess. Instead the blade was literally stuck in its wrist as dark blood spurted out from the wound. The green giant screamed a scream I'd never heard before. It was… indescribable.

Then that was when I heard a loud _thump_ like something falling to my left that made me turn. With my mind waving in and out of actual sensible thought I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Either way, I made the move to run but instead I fell to the floor. The fall was heavy and my already fucked up rips took another overdose of pain. That's alright; I can take it.

Arm over arm, I crawled and clawed my way over to the wall counter. Pulling myself up, I saw it. Lain in its holster discarded in a sink of all things was the strange pistol that Cliff Broscoe had given me earlier this night. As I grabbed the heavy blaster, I was relieved at the cold familiar feel of cooled refined gun metal. Barely holding onto the counter, I yanked it from the leather holster and tried to balance it in my one free hand.

" _Gahh! Let go of me you big blob of green shit!"_

In a heartbeat, I spun around to see Cass being yanked off her feet by her hair as Raul desperately tried to hold down the Mutants weapon arm which had somehow managed to get a hold of the club even though it had cleaver inbedded in it. From the weight of the gun and the odd caliber it chambered plus with the addition of probably zero recoil control in the grip; I knew I was going to need two hands for this. I dropped to the floor, putting my back against the counter as I gripped the handgun in both hands. It had the strongest kick I'd ever experienced. It felt like a cannonball had gone off in my hand and the shock wave sent a bolt of aching pain down my arms as the gun went high and as did my shot.

I'd been aiming for its head but I'd ended up shooting out the roof instead. The Mutant stopped, turned, threw Cass and Raul aside as though they'd been paper and then kicked the kitchen counter table over as he marched towards me, club in hand. I should've been panicking at this point, but instead a powerful calm took over. I closed my eye and when they opened the Mutant before me was glowing! Through the adrenaline induced cocktail that was rushing through my veins I grinned slightly as my mind focused and the orange hue centered on its chest.

Honed to a razor's edge, I calculated two distinct shoots right where its heart lay. Then, as the tinge started to fade, I made one final round for the head. The handgun rocked in my hand as in slow motion the end of the barrel exploded like dragons breath. Whether it was the adrenaline pumping in my veins or having gotten used to the recoil, the blaster held steady with only a controllable jump as the first round made its way towards it target. The round punched through its chest in a spectacular explosion of blood and bone that threw him backwards several feet.

Then the second round hit about a hands span to the right and nearly toppled him over. Then the third and final round hit him in the cheek, ripping through and taking half the head with it on the way out. With a final exhaustion of breath, the world returned to its normal pace as the creature slumped onto the floor, the remains of whatever brains it had left leaking out of its destroyed skull. I'd been expecting the same nausea that had hit me the last time I'd used V.A.T.S., but it never came. Instead I felt… peace almost.

The pain that had burned its way across my ribs died to a low ache, and I felt renewed strength in my legs. Still, it was a bitch to get off the floor but at least it was a start. With a shit eating grin, I chuckled:

" _Bigger they are the harder they fall, huh?"_

" _Fuckin' show off,"_ Cass laughed, though with the heavy ringing in my ears I had to almost read her lips, _"still though, that thing is a fucking hand cannon. I'm surprised it didn't take off your hand."_

" _It almost did,"_ I replied, shaking my aching hands before I stepped over and pulled Cass on her feet.

" _Dios mio, I think I might've broke my spleen. Or is that my pancreas? Mierda, why'd I get so old?"_

" _I thought you said he was gonna be dumber than rocks."_

" _Oh ho ho, he was. If he wasn't… well you get my meaning,"_ and with that he rose, straightening his back with the sound of bones pooping like miniature gunshots before his usual devil-may-care demeanor returned, _"now, shall we have some fun?"_

" _After you."_

With this he brushed past me and then kicked open a metallic, quick-install door that had been somehow out of sight earlier. With an elaborate bow and a waving gesture of his hand, he beckoned us in:

" _Damas y caballeros, I give you the room of doom! Well, close enough."_

Close enough indeed. While not as impressive as I'd been secretly hoping, it was still a good start and would give us a fighting chance. Before was an 8by8 room with two shelves on either wall and on each of them… well, enough to certainly give us options. One shelf, the right one, was clearly meant for the Super Mutant's go-to weaponry. This one was largely empty but on the end were three Colt Commandoes with attached silencers.

Beneath that on a bottom shelf was about a half dozen ammo crates, and opening them up I admit my gut dropped. Inside three of them were standard AR magazines. About twelve per box. Running the numbers through my head, we had almost a thousand rounds that we could have to dish out. Though I was disappointed that three of the cans were empty, which would've doubled our ammo count, it was again a good start.

Quickly, I made a check on the Commandoes. Almost on touch, I knew these were military, not civilian. The selector switch was set with burst and full auto modes, and the barrel felt heavier compared to others. That meant they'd been reinforced to compensate for the higher amount of rounds downrange which meant more heat for the internals. Plus, these were in extremely good condition.

" _Almost too good,"_ I mused silently. Like they'd just been taken out of some storehouse not opened for a couple of centuries. I pushed the question aside: it was time instead to focus on the coming action. I grabbed the Commandoes with the ammo cans and placed them on a center table. Cass on the other hand had been inspecting the other shelf, which by the array of weapons from Caravan Shotguns to 9mm Grease Guns I knew had to have been taken from caraveners and travelers on the road.

Then she pulled out another box and when she opened it up, my heart jumped. I smiled slyly:

" _Seems up your alley."_

" _Oooh, don't tempt me. I just might take you up on it."_

To further her point, she pulled out one of the fragmentation grenades and tossed in hand several times.

" _Okay enough with the hot potato! You're making me nervous jutting that thing around."_

At this she smirked. Then Raul interrupted the exchange by slamming a crate up onto the table:

" _You play with fire and you get burnt and blah blah blah. I outgrew this foreplay nonsense a century and a half ago. If I'd the time I'd pull out a bible and…"_

" _One more word,"_ Cass growled warningly, _"and I don't need ta tell ya what comes next?"_

" _Nope,"_ he smirked, _"Anyway, here's your gear."_

Sure enough there it was. I reached in and grabbed my holstered pistols and my blade while Cass grabbed her trusty double barrel and the 10mm. The next 10 seconds was spent checking the .45's, reloading one and then placing them in each of their natural positions. The only oddman out was That Gun. After first adding four rounds into the cylinder, I opted for the old fashioned waistband approach.

Yet, as I handled the strange and heavy handgun, a revelation hit me. I'd found the weapon in a sink. Yet, looking back on the thirty seconds I was in the room before then, not once had I'd seen it there prior. Add in the fact that I'd heard the sound of somebody dropping it left me with one conclusion. My guardian angels were still look out for me, in their strange ways.

I shook off the thought and went to the task of loading the Colt Commandoes. First, I took I paired each of the mags and taped them together before loading each rifle before stuffing two of the pairs, plus an odd man out, in my cargo pockets. I then handed weapon and mags over to Cass as she finished loading her shotguns. I was about to hand one to Raul when I noticed what he was holding: In either hand holstered in weathered leather gunslinger holsters were the clear stylized wooden handles and double action heavy hammers of S&W Model 29's no doubt chambered in the venerable .44. Looking at them brought back a very ancient memory: I'd hunted with one scoped up in northern Utah in the foothills of the Great Salt Lake.

Like a film reel the memory went. I was with a squad of others, creeping through the brush in the darkness. It'd rained that night; I could feel the cold water running up on my leg and on my knees. Then we came upon dry land and then next several minutes passed in a set of single shot images, grainy in color like before in my other flashbacks. Through the darkness of that storm we struck.

I could feel the hot blood running through my fingers as I slit the throats of men asleep, never to wake again. I could feel the pulsing kick of the magnum as I obliterated men and women alike. One by one they fell as the rain poured on and on and on through the night, as though God above was trying to wash away the blood that pooled in the salted mud that ran to our knees. The killing did not stop: it went on and on for so many images, images of my wanton destruction. Images that haunted me to my very soul.

I felt sick at not just what I was seeing, but at what I was feeling. I should've been feeling guilt or even horror at what I was doing. Instead, I felt… rage. A hot, overwhelming rage that clouded over my senses and made me want to kill. I didn't understand why.

Then at long last: the final image showed me the why of things. See the man, the savage before me I understood why. I understood what I was hunting, what I was killing. From the pale skin and the scarlet war paint to the braids they wore; I knew what they were. White Legs.

Then the image shifted, and the memory carried on like a film reel. In the bloodied salt marshes, I stood erect like a statue over the bodies of the fallen. Even then, I knew the thoughts of anger and grief and confusion that ran through me now ran through me then. I stared at the ones I had killed, their bodies ripped apart like chopped liver as my eyes ran across the battle field. No, this hadn't even been a battle.

It'd been a massacre.

" _They got what they deserved, buddy."_

I turned to face the speaker, and in that moment I recognized him but I did not know him. He was younger now, but the cropped red hair was still the same as he stared out past me. At the very same thing I'd been looking upon.

" _You honestly think they wouldn't do worse to us or anybody else if they had the chance? You can't parlay with something that doesn't understand the concept. Better they go rather than some other poor bastard."_

Then there was another voice, faint like an echo that ranged across the salt marshes and the dry river valleys beyond:

" _Gideon!"_

Then I felt a slap across my face and my eye opened:

" _Gideon! Wake up man! Wake up!"_

I was lying on my back.

" _W-w-what happened?"_

" _You fainted, boss. My good looks finally caught up with you, eh?"_

" _Oh go fuck yourself Raul!"_ Cass barked with a mad glare in her eyes, but before she could make a move I grabbed her firmly by the shoulder:

" _I'm okay, Cass. Just a bad memory."_

" _A memory knocked you out? What, you get knocked on the head by some pretty blonde or some other dama?"_

" _Close enough,"_ I answered as Cass helped me off the floor and into a chair, _"except for the dames. I just… saw something familiar and it overwhelmed me."_

" _Well, considering you didn't caer en su cara fea when you saw me, I guess it was these."_

With that he drew one of the Model 29's. It was a beautiful pistol, well maintained and polished with the standard nine inch barrel.

" _Jesus,"_ Cass mouthed, _"what the hell do you do with a cannon like that?"_

" _They…"_ he began, pausing a while as he maneuvered the magnum in his hand, his eyes staring over them almost as though he'd never seen it in years, _"They were my papas. He… hunted with them. Osos and the like. Before that, mi abuelo carried them when he was federales con Ciudad de Mexico. Now, they're mine."_

" _I'm sorry for your loss."_

I know his pain. I may not remember why, but in my guts I know it all too well. He then cocked his head and grinned at me:

" _When you reach over two centuries, boss, things like that don't trouble you no more. Now what about you? What big bad thing put you on the floor?"_

" _I dunno. It's kind of a blur."_

I could feel Cass's eyes bearing down at me, but I didn't need to look to know she could see right through me. That's okay, though. That's something I can deal with later. Right now we had more important things to do than worry about a trip down memory lane. Like killing Super Mutants.

With that, I rose to my feet and shouldered my Commando. I knew Cass was going to protest and just when I was about to turn to calm her; I noticed for the first time something large being covered by a tarp on a table towards the very back of the room. When I removed the tarp, my heart jumped a beat or two.

" _Mi dios. Oh Santos Maria y Joseph."_

" _Is… is that what I think it is?"_

There was no question about it. From its enormous, box like structure to the steel barrel with an under barrel gas tube with its distinct triangular sight, I knew I was looking at The Hog. It was of the old M-60 line, but this one had gone through a heavy series of changes. The first was that the forearm and handgrip had been made of refined wood rather than rubber. The second was that the German style MG stock (also made of rubber and metal), had been replaced by a skeletal stock.

The third, judging from the attacher clips under the action that this weapon was designed to take a box magazine; which was missing. That led me to the fourth major change. Because the box mag was missing, it'd been loaded with a long belt of ammo instead. Normally, an M-60 would use .30, but this one had been rechambered to fire the 5.56mm instead. I took it up in my arms and the monstrous weight hit me.

It had to have weighed a good 20lbs. But I knew the raw devastation it could wield, so I shouldered the weight and wrapped the belt around my arm as I braced it in my hands. Unknowingly, a small grin stretched across my face. To this, Cass chuckled:

" _That's definitely you."_

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

You know what I hate about Super Mutants? Or generally anybody for that matter? They have no respect for anything technology, nor do they have any fricking concept on how fragile most of it is! So what do they do most of the time? They act like children and rip it apart without any thought to its delicacy or individual importance of every single piece.

One only need look at poor ED-E to understand this. They had opened him and had practically ripped his internal electronics out.

" _I'm going punch their stupid heads in on general principle for this,"_ I cursed darkly as I went to work. Half of registering servos were badly damage, as was most of the wiring. Four of the sensor modules were rendered completely inoperable, with the other two being surprisingly out of the way of physical harm. Optics systems has lost some of its processors, the hover driver a fuel cell that was attached to the main power source. Surprisingly, that was the only thing that hadn't been completely torn apart and was still in decent enough condition.

Perhaps the biggest thing that had me worried is if they'd ripped out his Personality Matrix. If it'd received too much damage, then the best I could do for him would be to take him outside and give him a proper burial. Because he would just be another mindless automaton without any true life or function that made him what he is… or was. I closed my eyes, and sighed deeply. If what I saw confirmed the latter, then there would be no point in saving him.

After a long moment I removed a flashlight and went into the belly of the beast. There, located right next to the installed Detection Drive, was ED-E's brain. Carefully, I found the connection switch and slowly removed the Personality Matrix. I looked over his heart-like design, hoping beyond hope that it was still intact. To my amazement, it hadn't been damaged at all, not even touched!

I wondered why. Clearly the Jolly Greens were determined to strip every single substance out of ED-E, so why'd they stop? I didn't know if Gideon or the others had managed to escape the ambush or were still here. If it was the former; then maybe they were out looking in force. I shook my head.

" _All I wanted was a ride. See the world and learn a few things. Why'd I have to get monkeywrenched again?"_

I knew the answer to that. If luck had a meter; then mine was rated at the Sickly Albatross category. Doesn't matter now, though. It was time to bring ED-E back from the dead. I reinstalled the Personality Matrix and any other parts that hadn't been turn to cheddar.

Now I needed to find replacement parts for everything else. Where to start?

" _I guess this is what Victor Frankenstein felt like. Feels good."_

I began searching the room. My guess was if this was the place they took tech, then I reasoned there had to be more. After finding nothing in the room, I went through a door hidden by the shadows. On the otherside was a storeroom full of junk of every kind of category. As I began shifting through the varying counters, tossing what I needed into a bag; I found the jackpot. Lying on a table was a broken up Mr. Handy robot.

White in color with a bulbous round top, an anti-grav engine below connected to a three separate tentacle like arms and on the head were another three like tentacles that housed his eyes.

" _You'll do, my techno octopus friend."_

Out of all the robots I could ask for; a Mr. Handy would work well enough. Aside from ED-E, Mr. Handy's were among the most advance considering they were built for the purpose of being butlers and nannies. As such, their optical processors and intelligence capacities, plus anti-gravitational motors would work well enough with ED-E's systems. I grabbed the robot, hefting its weight across my shoulders. Oddly enough, this robot hadn't been visibly gutted and judging by the heavy weight I knew that its internals hadn't been removed.

Which made me wonder; were they trying to repair this Mr. Handy with ED-E? If so, why? By habit, most Super Mutants despised advance technology. It was like I was trying to put together a jigsaw puzzle and I was missing half the pieces.

" _C'mon V. No need to trivia just yet."_

I threw the Mr. Handy onto the table and began prying open its internal systems. Sure enough, most of it was untouched. Most. After about three minutes of digging through its electrical stomach I eventually found that the robots Personality Matrix and connecting cognitive servos were fried. My guess was it suffered a deliberate blow to the right area and it caused an internal explosion that then set the thing into shutdown mode.

I could repair it. I could, but then I'd be forced to sacrifice saving ED-E. No, that wasn't a choice I'd ever make. I made my piece with this mechanical being and I began to strip what I needed. I removed its sensor modules, part of its cognition sensors, optics and situational analysis drives, plus its power cells, communication arrays and anti-grav motors.

I also began pulling out a few odds and ends from the bag of other goodies I'd found. It brought a slight grin to my eyes doing so. In three days, it'd be Hollow's Eve. If we got out of this alive, I would like to stop by Freeside and see all the cute kids in their costumes making their rounds. I might even dress up as a ghost and scare the living daylights out them. Yes, I'm that heartless.

I pushed the thought aside and began installing the new parts. I found a low beam plasma torch and began fusing parts together; carefully installing them into the correct places that I knew they should. Once this was done, I burned off sections of the Mr. Handy's metallic hide and began fusing together a sort of protective shield over those internal parts in a honeycomb pattern. Trust me when I say this. I don't want to have fix him again.

As soon as I closed the final hatch, he started vibrating violently.

" _He's…he's alive!"_

I couldn't resist.

" _Zzpptss-brinnzzz!"_

With a jolt, ED-E shot from the table and began zooming around the room like a chicken with its head cut off. He was panicking, that much I could tell. As he came around again, I grabbed from mid-air and clutched him close to my chest.

" _Shh, easy little guy. I've got you. No stupid monster coming to hurt you."_

That did the trick. He calmed down enough and I let him go. He floated off and stared questioningly at me. Then using his eternal radio, he sounded:

" _Where and where am I? Where have all the good boys gone? "_

" _I don't know. I just woke up here too. I had to put you back together."_

No sooner than I said that he then darted his body down as though he was trying to see if he was wearing clothes or not. When he came back up, I had the strangest feeling he was grinning slyly at me.

" _I hope you like what you saw! Ooo-a-ooo! "_

" _You have the maturity of preteen virgin, you filthy little… eh, you know the rest."_ I chuckled back him, to which he shrugged. He then beeped a question and I knew what it was.

" _I managed to wiggle out where our friends are. We'll need to stick to the shadows, but I think we can make it where ever they are."_

He beeped again, this time the tone was fairly aggressive. I grinned slightly and nodded.

" _Don't worry. Before this is over, we'll both have our revenge."_

* * *

 **Translation**

 _tu esmeralda mierda mancha_

 _you emerald shit stain_

 _Dios mio! Que diablos estan las pelotas hechas de!?"_

 _My God! What the hell are your balls made of!?_


	16. Chapter XV: Battle Royale

**Chapter XV:**

 **Battle Royale**

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

I reflected over the past 15 minutes as I started to climb up the rock face.

" _It all started with a dream, human. About twenty years ago when Marcus and me came here, looking for sanctuary from the storms we came across this place. It was well fortified and off the beaten track. A perfect place."_

" _To hide?"_

" _To live, human. We wanted the same things that any other community wanted. A place to call our own and the peace to build it into something greater. For about six months it went exactly like that. We used the radio transmitter to broadcast a message to anybody who was listening. Our little community grew. For the first time in a long time it seemed like we'd finally get a break."_

" _But then Tabitha showed up?"_

" _Mmmhmm. Started trouble up immediately. Wanted to 'restore the glory of the master'."_

" _Why didn't you stop her?"_

" _Couldn't. She's Nightkin, so the Nightkin would listen to her and not us. Made worse by the fact that there aren't many other first generation mutants left there. Tabitha mebbe crazy, but she knows how to sway others to her cause. And before we knew it we had an uprising on our hands. Marcus tried to fight back but she grievously wounded him. So we left with whoever would come and made our way north."_

" _You found someplace else?"_

 _"That'd be telling, human. Perhaps some other time. But right now we need to focus on getting your friends out."_

 _"It won't be easy. I just tried it and got compromised barely a few minutes in."_

 _"That's because you tried to go through the front door. I'm going to have you go through the back. On the reverse side of this compound there is a cliff. On the cliff is a fence that leads directly into the center of the compound. It won't be guarded."_

 _"With all those patrols, we'd need a distraction."_

 _"You're looking at it. There's a sub-village down the hill that houses the outer guards. I'm going to blow it up. When I do, the patrols will come back to me and that should be your opening."_

 _"You against an army?"_

 _"Leave that to me."_

I don't know where he could've gotten a Fatman. Or the three mini-nukes he had strapped to his back. Both were rare, essentially a high-tech handheld nuclear warhead catapult. But still, I couldn't help but smile.

 _"I sure will."_

It had taken me the better part of twenty minutes to make my way to the back of the compound. It would've taken five but I had to constantly take cover from patrols moving about. Neil was right. This wouldn't work without a distraction. I got to the last fifty yards and had to low crawl the rest.

Finally got to where I needed to be. Right above though was another patrol. Behind them was the cliff. Looks of it, about fifty feet. Still, it isn't too smooth. Should be able to climb it without too much trouble.

But first I need the patrol gone. I checked my watch. Five minutes to go.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

With our heavy ordinance locked, loaded and ready to make shit dead; we slid out through to the balcony again. Below us was the center of the mountain and a lot of juicy targets. All in all, there must've been about twenty or so of the green or blue bastards spread out across the compound. Most were in the courtyard in the open or in their refurb shanties, but quite a few were positioned on some of the concrete buildings. Those were going to be a problem if we didn't take them out fast.

As I shifted the Hog to a better position, Cass pointed out towards the radio tower.

 _"What?"_

 _"Fucker in front. See him?"_

It took me a moment, but eventually I did. And when I did, my stomach dropped a few pounds. He was hefting a missile launcher.

 _"He goes first. Think you can take him out?"_

 _"I guess we'll see,"_ she replied lightly as she loaded an HE shell into her M-79, _"so any last words?"_

 _"Yeah. I'm here to chew some chew and kick some green ass. And I'm all out chew."_

 _"Classic."_

I smirked. Raul came up on my left.

 _"I'll be sure to chisel it on your grave stone."_

 _"I hold you to it. You good to go?"_

 _"As much as I can be, boss. Your dama ready to do her impossible shot?"_

 _"There's no shutting ya up is there, ya greasy fucker?"_

He shook his head. As I scanned the terrain around, I made one last check on all weapons and gear. I shifted the weight of the machine gun in my hands. I adjusted the Colt Commando strapped to my back and a last tug at my handguns. I nodded once to myself. If I was going to die tonight, I might as well be fully loaded for it.

 _"Alright. Cass you stay here and get ready to take that tower. Raul, me and you. We'll head a bit north and get in position. When that tower goes down, we need to drop as many of these bastards as quickly as possible."_

For once, Raul was all business. He nodded, and as I had done a few seconds earlier, did a manual check on his gear.

 _"I've lived a shitty life. Might as well go out in a bang."_

 _"That's the spirit. Cass, we'll go on five."_

 _"Copy that bossman. You boys have fun."_

I tucked the Hog under my shoulder and vaulted to an adjacent roof, followed closely by Raul. As silently as we could, we trotted across this roof and made a final jump to the next one. Yeah this is much better. I had a better view of the grounds before me and the targets dotting them. Quickly, I dropped low and rested the Sixty on the ledge; setting the Commando to the side along with my second belt of ammo.

To my right Raul was doing the same.

 _"Pick your targets,"_ I whispered to him, _"and remember to fire in short controlled bursts. We want to drop as many of these bastards as possible before they start firing back."_

 _"Fine, fine, but I warn you my cataracts are going to make my aim mierda como el infierno."_

 _"Suppressing fire then if it comes to it. Just try to shoot in their general direction."_

 _"Right, don't shoot till you see the whites of their eyes and all that la porqueria."_

 _"Yeah well this isn't New Orleans, 1815,"_ I chuckled softly, _"and I sure as hell ain't Old Hickory."_

I checked my Pip-Boy. Three minutes to go.

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

The courtyard was full of them. There would be no way for me or ED-E to make it across. We'd get swamped by Jolly Greens before we went ten feet. Then something caught my eye. There was movement on the roof.

I hit the receiver button on my collar and the soon my vision was consumed by the inside of the helmet. Automatically the visor went to infared.

 _"Heat signature,"_ I command softly and the vision switched. All about was a sea of black broken by shards of light scattered about by moving figures. I looked up at the balcony and there I saw them. Two of them. They were smaller than the other figures and my heart lightened a bit.

I then went to night vision and from the looks of things one of them, the biggest one, had a light machine gun! I smiled. No doubt they were getting ready to turn this field into a kill-zone.

 _"Zzptzz?"_

I turned around and ED-E was looking at me weirdly.

 _"Shh,"_ I made the motion with my finger and I as patted him softly on his hide, _"can you keep a secret, little guy?"_

He nodded.

 _"Good. Now I got a question for you."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I didn't know my Pip-Boy had a receiver until it started squawking. Thank God the volume wasn't high. Somebody was trying to call me through the Pip-Boy. I adjusted the nobs on the side until the signal came through.

 _"Zzzt, ideon. Gideon, do you read?"_

 _"Your dama?"_

 _"Veronica? Where are you? How are you—"_

 _"Look down to your front left."_

I did.

 _"How'd you two escape?"_

 _"Long story. What are you planning to do?"_

 _"We managed to get to the armory and load up. Cass is positioned to take out the radio transmitter. When she does, we're going to hit them from here."_

 _"Is there anything we can do?"_

I thought about it for a while.

 _"Are you armed?"_

 _"Yes, but not with a gun or anything of that sort."_

While ED-E would be able to tank some damage, Veronica would just get in the way. Worse, they might get caught in our line of fire. I shook my head.

 _"Stay there for now. When the shooting starts, I want you to try and make your way back to me. Avoid the field though."_

 _"I kinda figured."_

 _"By the way, how are you talking to me?"_

 _"Your Pip-Boy has a receiver and a transmitter. I had ED-E find the right frequency."_

 _"Is he okay?"_

 _" Oh I'ma alright, alright, alright. But I could use a new paint job soon! "_

 _"Hey I did the best I could!"_

 _"Do I want to know?"_

 _"Probably not."_

 _"Alright. I'll see you two soon. Out."_

One minute.

* * *

 **Neil**

* * *

A part of me felt guilty over what I was going to do. Marcus would never approve of me killing our own kind. Unfortunately, I do not have a choice in the matter. They have become the very things we have fought for the better part of a century not to become. They've become mad dogs and it's my job to put them down.

No matter how painful it may be.

 _"May the Master keep you,"_ I whispered softly as I hefted the Fatman over my shoulder. I peered down the sights, getting adjusted. First I aimed down at the camp. Then I moved up a good half foot to angle the blast. Then with a last exhaust of breath, I fired.

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

I felt the impact 'fore I saw it. As the mushroom cloud mushroomed, I felt utterly fuckin' cold. The ground rumbled and a plumed of wind impacted the building, tossing bellows of dirt in my face and nearly knocking me off the roof.

 _"What the fuck!?"_ I screamed as I spat the dirt of my mouth. Then I looked ahead. Ah shit.

 _"Time ta dance."_

The fucker with the rocket had spotted me and was going for the draw. I had the better hand, though. I fired off the grenade. Like in slow motion, I practically saw the HE fly towards it target. Then all in front of me became one giant explosion.

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

Right on schedule. The patrol in front of me sprinted back down the hill. Now it's time to climb. Checking left and right, I made my way to the cliff face. I looked around me one more time. Don't want to be caught in the light like a rad-stag about to get sniped.

Satisfied, I leapt up onto the cliff. I grabbed onto the outcropping, secured my feet, and began inching my way up bit by bit. Then there was another explosion. Louder, closer. I could feel the vibration in the rock.

It was above me.

The tower dropped with a loud groan and crashed right into a collection of the shanty town.

 _"Now?"_

 _"Not yet."_

Here they come. Another ten came out of the various buildings to join the other dozen. Some of them were trying to extinguish the fires starting to spread through the wood and metal shanty houses, but the rest were running around like a bunch chickens with their heads off. No better opportunity.

 _"Go loud."_

 _"Con el placer, jefe."_

The roar of the Hog rocked into my shoulder as the night around lit up with the power of dragon's breath. The smell of death and the heat of flying brass bouncing through the air clouded me, and for the first time in a while I felt the utter animalistic joy of battle. The Mutants below me stood no chance. One by one, I ripped to literally pieces as hit them with a long burst. Three dropped to the ground, and the rest scrambled for cover.

Part of me wanted to just hold down the trigger and unleash my rage. But I knew that I had only two belts of ammo. I went instead to firing in controlled bursts, aiming for their legs first then their torso. I spotted one moving towards the building. I fired a burst directly into him.

His legs splattered in a massive explosion of bone and blood as he dropped to the ground. He didn't scream, not even when I finished him off with a second burst that opened up the back of his ribcage. Two more were running together to my right. I shifted aim and fired directly in front of them. The hail of bullets caught them like they'd hit a stone wall. The one in front was completely broadsided, bullets tearing him from thigh to neck as he dropped like a stone.

The one behind him tripped over him and indulged him with a metallic death by opening him up from his groin to his chest until it resembled a cow going through a meat grinder. Then suddenly the sound of guitars, banjos and drums rocked from wrist. I smiled slightly. ED-E had a good choice in music.

 _" In 1814 we took a little trip, along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip'. "_

Now four of them were coming towards us with Commandoes at the ready.

 _" We took the little bacon and took a little beans and we caught the bloody British at the town of New Orleans. "_

Then an explosion ripped one to pieces and threw the other three to side. I looked to my right and I could see Cass loading another shell into her Thumper.

 _" We fired our guns and the British kept-a-coming, there wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago. "_

I opened up one, but then the damn weapon jammed. I cursed loudly as Raul stood and emptied a clip in seconds into a collection of three, plus the one I missed.

 _" We fired once more and they began-a-running, down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. "_

 _"Short controlled bursts, you idiot!"_

 _"What!? I can't hear you over lo maravilloso que siento en este momento!"_

 _" We looked down the river and we see the British come and there must've been a hundred of 'em beating on the drum. "_

Then there was another explosion that ripped apart one of the unflantened shanty houses. With a final grunt of pissed off air, I cleared the jam and began to suppress another group of them that'd taken cover behind one of the concrete houses.

 _" They stepped so high and made their bugles ring; we stood by our cotton bales and didn't say a thing. "_

Then suddenly the ground beneath me exploded and I was flying for a brief second before I hit the ground.

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

Shit where the hell did he come from!? I spotted him down under the tower. Must've been that fucker I'd shot earlier! How the fuckin' hell did he survive!?

 _"Tenacious bastard,"_ I cursed as I loaded a Plasma Shell into the M-79. But before I could even get a second to aim; he had his aimed at me.

 _"Shit!"_

He fired and I ran. I got dozen steps when roof exploded and I got thrown through a wall.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _Old Hickory said we could take 'em by surprise if we didn't fire our muskets till we could look 'em in the eye. We held our fire till we their faces swell then we opened with our squirrel guns and really gave them…well… "_

I feel like shit. There's no other way to put it. My entire fucking body feels like I've been going a dozen rounds with a really pissed off bull and he's done nothing but broadside me all damn day. My head feels like an overdose of tequila and jet combined in a fucked up concoction that's making my brain swim in a raging torrent of its own fluids. And ontop of that I felt so damn weak my bones were going to crumble under their own goddamn weight.

 _" We fired our guns and the British kept on a'comin', there weren't as many as there was a while ago. "_

Then I felt, not heard the reports of high caliber shots. I looked up and I could see Raul blasting a Super Mutant to pieces with his Model 29's. One round punched a hole through its shoulder; a second obliterated its kneecap and dropped it to the ground. Then he followed up two simultaneous rounds that destroyed its head. Tough or not, nothing stands up to a pissed off Mexican armed with pair .44's.

 _"And that's for making me fix your puto coche, cabrones endogamicas feos."_

Then there was another one coming at us from our rear. Like a true gunslinger, he spun on his heel and fired point blank from the hip. Its legs split apart at the shins, throwing it to the floor to which he finished it off with a round to the head. Then through the smoke I saw him. It was the missile launcher guy and he was looking right at us.

A bolt of electricity ran through me but I knew I was still too slow. My hands reached around the Hog, but my brain was screaming that I wasn't fast enough. There would be a flash and then I would be gone.

 _" We fired our cannon till the barrel melted down so we grabbed an alligator and fought another round. "_

That wasn't coming from my wrist! I looked up and there was ED-E, firing rapidly a flash of red that pelted the Super Mutant like a horde of Carrion Bees. It welted under his onslaught, and then I saw something that still could not believe.

" _We filled his head with cannon balls and powdered his behind! "_

A figure in brown leapt forward in a blur and delivered a powerful kick that tossed the creature against a wall. It recovered fast and tried to swing the launcher like a club. She caught it deftly with both hands, twisted at the hips and tossed the Mutant aside. She then tossed the launcher aside and charged.

" _And when we torched the powder off, the gator lost his mind! "_

The Mutant countered, throwing a punch to which she deftly dodged. Yet before it could swing again, ED-E slammed right into its face and knocked it over. It doubled over and leapt forward. The pair dodged to either side and I saw my opportunity. I rose, the Hog clenched tight in both hands as I fired. This time I did not bother with the conservation of rounds, rather its utter consumption. I started at its foot and worked my way up as I marched forward, my teeth bared in a growl as I diagonally ripped the bastard in half.

By the time I was done and slipped a new belt, he was a smoking dissected carcass loaded with so many holes he might as well be holy. Bad joke I know, but it fits. I scanned the area, and the field of corpses that chocked the desert sands. It was clear.

" _And I thought I had anger problems!"_ Veronica laughed. I shook my head.

" _Darling, you have no idea. Hey buddy,"_ I practically hugged the floating discoball, _"ya okay man?"_

" _So you're the mysterious dama who'd they conveniently stored in a VIP suite, eh? Nice dress."_

" _Okay, who are you?"_

" _V this is Raul. He's the smartass who got us out of this. Still, he's got a point."_

" _And what point is that?"_

There it is: the mask. No more lies, no more games.

" _You're Brotherhood, aren't you?"_

" _What? Me? I think you got banged on the head too many times."_

" _V…"_

" _You can't have Raul!"_

We all turned left and there on the two stories building was another Super Mutant, except this one was blue. And it was wearing… a wig and heart-shaped glasses!? I shouldered the Hog and fired at her, but she wasn't there!

" _What the hell?"_

" _Boss she's a Nightkin!"_

Oh shit. That means she can go invisible.

" _Stick together! Don't let her pick you off!"_

So that's what they did. They practically flooded around me as I swung the Hog to my right and balanced it to where I could use the Sensorium. I had no idea if it would detect this Nightkin's movements but I didn't really have any other ideas here. That's when I spotted it, directly ahead at 20 yards. I opened fire in a wide arc, hoping I could at least wound her.

Then she appeared directly above me freefalling and wielding a really big sword.

" _Die, dumb-dumb!"_

Then she came down with the blade cracking the ground as it sliced the air with its quivering death song. I barely managed to roll to the side, but I had to ditch the Hog in the process. As I came up, I unslung the Commando into combat readiness.

" _Tu bruja. You've made me fix your toasters for the last time whup!"_

She backhanded him aside, tossing him into a building. I opened fire, but she moved way too fast for something her massive size. She swung her blade and I jumped back, then she followed up with a downward cleave meant chop me in two. I raised the Carbine to shield myself but the blade chopped right through that too. Instinctively, I dropped to the floor and rolled to the side.

Then I felt a foot in my back and I flew a dozen feet forward, my face buried into the sand. As I turned over, I saw she was coming for me again. My hand felt the handle of the Colt, but I knew it was too late as she prepared to surgically redecorate me. Then out of nowhere, ED-E flew right between me and the crazy blue monkey. He fired a burst right into her face.

She screamed; her face shrouded in smoke as she swung anyway. ED-E was to her like a baseball to a swatter, him being sent flying away. Hot anger raged in me and I drew my .45's with a blood curdling scream, the explosions of lead an extension of my rage as I unloaded upon her. The impacts staggered her, but she just kept coming for more. I rose and tried to jump away, but then I felt the blade slash me across the chest.

I didn't feel anything save for the cold sand in my face. It wasn't until I turned over that the pain hit me like a brick to the nose, hot and searing.

" _You've ruined it all! You ruined everything! Now I'm gonna ruin you!"_

My ticket had been punched.

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

Not often have I felt the hot fingertips of monotonous fury. This one time, I felt it like the wrath of some ancient deity bestowing her rage across a land of monsters. I felt alive, I felt on fire. I felt ready to kill. I hadn't known Gideon long but I sure as hell wasn't going to lose another friend.

My finger hit collar and my mask formed around my face as I rolled between man and monster. The world around went into slow motion. I could see the blade, giant and crude an instrument of death as any other singing its murderous tune. I raised my hands in a praying mantis and caught the blade between them. The beast tried to dislodge it, but found me not in the mood.

Then with the sickening grinding of bending steel, my armored fingers squeezed into the blade until it deformed around them. Then with an exertion of strength, I wrenched it out of her fingers and tossed the lump of metal aside. She staggered back, panic stretched across her face. Then it warped into a snarl. She swung her ridiculous sized fist at me.

I step slightly to side, deflecting it with one hand as I threw a punch to the face. She stepped back and I pressed my assault. I swung again, but she raised her arms to block me. I bobbed low and delivered a bone breaking blow to the blue bitch's ribs, cracking them. She dropped her guard in pain and I slammed my fist right into her cheek, breaking that too.

Screaming, she withdrew a couple of steps. I knew from experience that even breaking bone wouldn't stop a mutant. The only way to put them down was to kill them. I was half tempted to go for the power fist strapped to my thigh, but I shook my head. I was going to relish this, and I was going to make this slow.

She charged forward, swinging low and then high. I ducked back, letting the blows pass over me before I stepped in for a blow to the face. She blocked me, and then I was knocked back by her retaliatory blow and then another. The armor held up and I blocked the third, knocking it to the side as I slammed my palms right over her ears. She staggered back, covering over her blistered ear drums.

I did not relent. I stepped in and swung a kick right into her face, knocking her around as I punched twice into lower ribs, the second breaking two. With a roar like a mountain lion up at Sacramento, she swung round and slammed me across my face. I'd felt that one and I spat blood in the helmet. I righted myself and reengaged.

She swung once then twice, and I dodged both. Then I chopped above the eyebrows before pulling back.

 _"What was that? A love tap?"_ She growled.

 _"Just a cut above the eye. The kind that bleeds."_

Soon enough, blood poured over her face. Distracted, she did not notice me hitting her across the jaw, or when I grabbed her by the shoulder and flipped her over me and across the floor. She recovered fast, and this time grabbed a barrel and tossed it at me. I dived low, missing it but going right into her foot which sent my backwards. I drew myself up and blocked an on mass of blows.

Then I struck. With a karate chop, I disrupted a nerve cluster in her deltoid. She wouldn't be moving that arm for a while. Undeterred, she charged. I ducked low and delivered a knee to another nerve cluster, this time to just below her knee.

I then took this opportunity to kick her square in the chest, knocking her down. It was here that made my mistake. I moved in too late, and she barreled me with multiple blows to the helm until she then slammed me right into her undamaged knee. My nose exploded with pain as I could taste blood running down my chin.

" _You're finished, human!"_

I headbutted her.

" _You don't get it, you hag!"_

I tackled her to the ground.

" _This isn't a sand field."_

I grabbed the arm.

" _It's a surgical table and I'm the sawbones!"_

I twisted the arm and it broke in two. Bone ripped through the flesh and blood squirted out as the blue bitch screamed. But I wasn't done. I moved to her leg and did the same. Then I settled into bashing her face until I could see the skull underneath.

Then for good measure, I slammed my boot into the remains and the head was no more.

 _"Bitch,"_ I smirked, drawing back as more pain flared into my nose. I hit the collar button and the helm drew back once more. Then I felt the cold finish of a barrel right to the back of my neck.

" _Don't move,"_ a voice hissed in my ear.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I felt so physically drained I needed ED-E to help me get up off the floor. I looked right and I saw Cass running. Never before had I been so happy to see her that I smiled at her like a fool, even though it hurt to do just that. With concern locked in her eyes, she took my other arm and started to support me. She looked down at the gash on my chest.

 _"Oh Jesus, ya okay man?"_

 _"Not really,"_ I chuckled weakly, _"could use some Vodka if you've got some."_

 _"For you, you magnificent dumbass, you're getting Tequila."_

 _"Sounds good."_

 _"Don't move."_

 _"Well Boone glad you could join the par—"_

Oh shit. The worst possible scenario had come to life right in my face. Boone had Veronica at gun point.

 _"Whoa Boone, what the hell are you doing!?"_

He didn't respond. Didn't even look at us, he just kept his eyes trained on the back of her head. And within them I saw the same frightening anger nights ago back at Novac. He was going to kill her.

 _"Look Mr. Shades,"_ Veronica replied, trying desperately to be calm, _"I don't know what you think I am but I—"_

 _"Shut up,"_ he growled, _"don't even bother trying to talk your way out of this. I know who you are. What you are."_

 _"Boone don't do this! She just saved our—"_

 _"Your life!?"_ He growled at us, _"Don't believe a word she says. She's done nothing but lie since the night she—"_

 _"Kicked my ass, Boone? Yeah we know who she is. It wasn't that hard to figure out."_

 _"And you still trust her? The Brotherhood cannot be trusted!"_

 _"And what the hell is that supposed to mean!?"_ Veronica barked right back at him. In response, he pushed the muzzle of his rifle even further into the back of her neck.

 _"Try Shady Sands, '72. 507 people died in your little explosion at the Gold Reservatory. Or Camp Willow, Greene or even the Hub! Thousands died because you just couldn't keep your hands off your so very precious tech!"_

 _"I had nothing to do with any of that!"_ she screamed right back, _"I wasn't even old enough to be anywhere near those places!"_

Suddenly she spun around, knocking the rifle out of hand and away. But Boone was no fool. He stepped right back and had his side arm trained on her head.

 _"Boone put the fucking gun down!"_ Cass screamed at him, drawing her 10mm on him.

 _"Cass don't!"_

 _"I warned you this was going to happen! This guy's too many rounds short of a full magazine. He's too fucking dangerous!"_

 _"You don't know the Brotherhood like I do! I lost seven good men, comrades, to these delusional bastards at Helios One!"_

 _"And I lost my parents there!"_ she screamed right back at him, _"You think you're the only one who's lost people!? Wake up, it's the damn apocalypse! Everybody's lost somebody!"_

 _"Those deaths were unnecessary! Command offered you all a way out! We were going to let you go, but instead you just had to make us come in right after you!"_

 _"We didn't ask for any of this! We just wanted to be left alone, but you just couldn't do that!"_

 _"OH FOR FUCKS SAKE!"_

They all looked at me; their mouths wide open at me. But I was not finished.

 _"I HAVE HAD THE WORST POSSIBLE NIGHT IMAGINABLE! I HAVE BEEN SHOT AT, BLOWN UP, TOSSED THROUGH WALLS AND NEARLY FUCKING DISECTED BY A CRAZY ASS MUTANT!"_

 _"Gideon—"_

 _"DON'T YOU FUCKING START! I'M NOT FINISHED!"_

I'd never felt so fucking angry in this moment than in any other possible place.

 _"SO FUCKING WHAT THAT YOU'RE ENEMIES! NEWS FLASH: WE JUST GOT KIDNAPPED BY A BUNCH OF GODDAMN, CANIBALISTIC GREEN MONKEYS! HAVE ANY OF YOU EVER THOUGHT FOR A SECOND IF ANY OF THIS SHIT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS WORTH THE FUCKING TIME WHEN THE REST OF THE GODDAMN WORLD IS TRYING TO KILL US! HUH!?"_

Stone silent. I had to catch my breath, either way. It took me about a minute for me to get the sense back in order. I sighed, and continued:

 _"Look, just stop and think. We've all lost our families. We've all lost the things that kept us sane and kept us grounded. All we've got left is each other."_

I looked them hard in their eyes. Their guilt ridden, sorrow spun eyes that were weighed down by an uncaring world.

 _"So don't do this. Don't kill each other over some rather stupid shit. Bury it. Let it go. If you can't do it for each other, or yourselves, then please just do it for me. Because I am tired, and don't like to see my friends turn on each other. Just let it go."_

The world at the moment felt as cold and as silent as a graveyard of broken dreams. Each of us lost in our own pain. Boone's hard boiled, unemotional face broke. Tears rained down his sullen cheeks, his eyes burned a light in everything before him. Then at last, his gaze rose and he stared apologetically at Veronica. It was long time before he finally uttered softly:

 _"I'm… I'm sorry. I'm… so sorry."_

Veronica's face on the other side of the spectrum was warm and relaxed; her true self, her sensitive, emotional and frightened self emerging for the first time. They both didn't need to hide anymore. Then she spoke softly:

 _"I'm sorry too, I… I know what it's like to lose someone that close and there are times that I… I can barely hold it in at times."_

He stared at her with eyes of understanding.

 _"Me too."_

 _"Ah, this is so sweet!"_

We all turned to see Raul coming out of the rubble, clapping aloud with a shit eating grin locked on his scarred face.

 _"Look at you, all ready to kiss and make up, eh? Let me go get my bible, sombrero de jueces for our floating friend here, maybe some organs and I could give you all a classic doble matrimonia forzado right here and now! Eh? What do you say?"_

Nobody had the words for this piece of work. Well except me.

 _"Way to ruin the moment, Raul,"_ I chuckled. Then my mind felt light and I slumped to the floor. Soon after, the blissful darkness came to take me, and this time I did not resist.

* * *

 **Translation**

 _Con el placer, jefe._

With pleasure, boss.

 _lo maravilloso que siento en este momento!_

how awesome I feel right now!

 _doble matrimonia forzado_

double forced matrimony 


	17. Chapter XVI: Q&A

**Chapter XVI:**

 **Q &A**

* * *

 **Caesar**

* * *

The pain was getting worse. Already I could feel it throb on my temple like a beating drum, constantly reminding me of the frailty of my life and my purpose. How long do I have, I wonder. Years, months?

 _"Mea veta, non tame nest perfecta,"_ I reminded myself as I paced the foot of my bed. Long ago, the Blackfoots—those fucking savages they once were—taught me how to harness my pain and refine it. Turn into a strength.

 _"Iratus est fortitudo mea."_

Yet here; the headaches, the nausea, the fucking weakness I feel within my bones, all of it only serves to make me weaker, not stronger. I have withstood great pain, greater travesty, purae defectum. Yet all of those before were nothing more than temporary setbacks. Challenges to learn from and eventually overcome.

 _"Iaciebantur ab confortabitur."_

This sickness though, this disease, this terminal weakness… it cannot be avoided, it cannot be fought, it cannot be destroyed. Only delayed. And I can only delay it for so long. Finally, I returned to the war room, my fingers trailing over the long pine wood table adorn scarlet by woven cloth. I felt its familiar texture; rough and coarse.

Then my eyes came upon the source of my misfortunes. My maximum hostibus. Much like my namesake; this one artifact of a long dead past has stood and blocked my path to true conquest. As Julius was halted at the passes of Alps to restore order to Rome; Hoover Dam remains a bulwark to my impending conquest of the west. For years I have studied this pre-war diagram. I have learned it secrets, its functions, its every hall and stone. Yet knowledge alone will never be enough.

Soon though; my monster shall return from his conquests in the East to begin preparations for the West. He will break the Bear in two. And beyond the Alps lies my true prize. For Julius it was Rome. For me it is Vegas.

As it burns, so shall its corruption, its peccatum, die. From its ashes, my Novae Romae, my Pax Romana, shall be solidified. Now longer a nomadic army. Now an Empire. And yet therein lies my greatest frustration.

I will not live to see my Rome grow. I will not be there to see it conquer the Republic, to see my standard upon the shores of the Pacific. Nor shall it every be so. For my greatest weapon is my Legion's folly. I have created a great beast within Lanius.

He has destroyed many of my foes, scattering their ashes with salt upon a thousand miles. Yet the beast is only capable of his namesake. Butchery. He cannot rule for he is not meant to. He will burn and pillage where he not need, raze when it is to build.

" _Imperium sanguinem lapidibus."_

Yet who shall I turn to? If there was any a great mistake, it was not finding a proper heir to the throne of the Mighty Imperator. Malpais is long gone, no doubt rotting in some grave outside the smoky remains of his precious New Canaan. I closed my eyes, memories of the many years we spent together flooding through me. Without him, there would be no Legion, yet he failed his duty and thus had to be punished.

And what of Aurelious? My Consul of Phoenix now serving Centurious in Cottonwood Cove has come a long way. Yet the man is a simple thing. Formidable a warrior, efficient a praefectus, yet lacks any sapientum. He is a man easily to be stabbed in the back.

And who else to do such an action than the Consul of the Frumantarii himself? I have crafted Vulpes to be my eyes and ears, the shadow upon my enemies. Yet he is not a millitus, nor servitor, nay an executor. He is a spy, but he is not capable of sitting upon my throne, for he would wilt within the light. Lest he be destroyed by all others.

" _Mortemus."_

The name still haunts me. My greatest failure: a survivor of perhaps my greatest opponent before I came to Nevada. One might call me foolish to attempt to mold the man into a proper heir. Even Malpais told me after he was captured at Willow Creek that he could never be swayed to our cause; that all the pain and torture had only hardened the man's soul. Yet when I looked into his eyes that day as a dozen men had to hold him down, I knew then I had met my truest equal.

I realize now that I should have killed him. I let my pride get in the way of my fucking common sense.

 _"Casum superbiae vocet."_

As a fresh pain flared in my temple, I waddled my way to entrance of my tent. There my eyes ran across the entirety of the camp, the countless centuries and cohorts all strewed across the remnants of this long dead fortress. I could hear the training drums beat long into the day as my Legion prepared for our revenge. For four long years we have campaigned in the East; gathering our strength as we razed and burned, collecting tribute from the fallen. Even now that fucking thorn in my side, Denver, falls to the blade of Lanius.

Denver has always been a drain of troops and resources. Constantly it defied our forces, sheltering my enemies and harassing our flanks. For ten years, it has endured.

" _No more."_

Lanius has sent word of the great number of slaves recovered from the campaign, of the tribes destroyed and indoctrinated into the Legion. Denver burns at long last. Still, there will always be dogs left from the great feast. Lanius will not depart until they are hunted and exterminated. And that always takes time.

" _And time is my enemy."_

" _Imperator?"_

I turned to see Praetorian Maxim standing before me, his head bowed and his arm clenched to his chest in the sign of the Aquila.

" _What is it, Praetorian?"_

" _Consul Vulpes as arrived at your request, Imperator. He has recovered from his injuries."_

" _Good. I will receive him."_

" _Ave, Imperator."_

As he turned to leave, I chanced one last look out into the horizon. There, my eyes wondered, as they always would, to Dam. The fucking Dam. I narrowed my eyes, the sun reflecting off its white marble. I would see it fall. By Mars I would.

" _Ave, Lord Caesar."_

The icy voice always catches me unawares. Always it sends ice into my bones. Yet now I clench my teeth at this impotence. At this fucking failure.

" _Report."_

" _My Lord? I believe you have already received my tabula."_

" _And I found its details to be wanting,"_ I replied, my anger subdued into a stern interjection, _"I want to know how my gladius in the dark came to be humiliated. How he became the only survivor of what should have been a simple operation. Tell me, and do not waste my fucking time or I will feed you to Lucius's mongrels balls first."_

It always unnerved me how impassive Vulpes could be. Not a single muscle in his face moved as he stared calmly, unemotionally back at me. How the man could feel no fear. Not even death. His response was swift and unhesitant:

" _We encountered an opposition that I had never chanced before, Imperator. An opposition both skilled and resourceful."_

" _Yes, your report stated as much. What I want to know is how just a man, a robot and a fucking woman of all things managed to best you."_

" _There was a fourth man, Imperator. I wasn't sure then but I am now. When we departed Nelson, we were stalked by a man wearing the colors of the First Recon Snipers. I dispatched three men to flush the man out. I found their bodies in a gulch, each with a hunting round through the chest. When the battle began, several of my men were killed with headshots."_

" _You are certain it was this man?"_

" _Aye Imperator. What troubles me most is that this man travelled alone. Snipers never stalk their prey by themselves and yet this man did just that."_

" _Our wars here have made many a vengeful specter. Continue."_

He nodded, still no change in that ghost-like face of his.

" _The robot was nothing like I ever saw before. Even when we fought the Brotherhood. Our bullets and spears did little to damage him, and even when snared him in nests he drew the lightning of Jupiter upon those that tried to dismantle him."_

" _It was one, you were many. You have yet to justify yourself, Vulpes."_

" _Patience, Imperator. There are afterall two for me to discuss."_

If it were any other man, I would have his tongue cut out. Yet I allowed him to continue his plea:

" _The woman is known to us via my spies in the Caravan Trade. A Rose of Sharon Cassidy,"_ I smirked at the poor tribute to the character of that depressing book, _"she has caused trouble to us before. She is a woman not to be crossed."_

" _She is still only a woman, Vulpes. Now the man."_

" _He is a mystery to me, Imperator. He was clearly the leader. He is the one who gave me this,"_ he gestured down to his stomach. To his credit, Vulpes crawled his way back to the Cottonwood on that injury.

" _The man clearly had balls,"_ I replied bluntly, _"there is more, I presume?"_

" _Yes. The man has fought us before."_

" _Explain."_

" _The way he fought. The order in which he shot my men, killing the decanuses before the commoner and his skill in hand-to-hand combat. It was almost as though he'd been trained by...us."_

" _You're certain?"_

" _If the way that—"_ he hesitated, _"the former Legatus trained his warriors is any indication."_

That perked my interests.

" _Describe him."_

" _Tall, well built and strong. He was tanned with black hair. From the way he held himself he was clearly a warrior, and a lethal one at that. There was a fire in his eye, the kind of hatred I have never before encountered."_

My mind raced.

" _You said eye. Was he missing one?"_

" _Yes. His left eye was bandaged. Why do you ask?"_

" _His name. Did any of his companions say his name?"_

" _The caput igne called him… Gideon. What is this profligate to you?"_

I turned my back, my knuckles pressing into the hard oak of my war table. I smiled deeply, and for once the pain abated:

" _You've come home at last."_

" _My Lord?"_

I turned, my smile growing even wider as I took him by the shoulder.

" _Vulpes, my spymaster, you are lucky to still be breathing."_

" _Who is he?"_

" _My greatest creation… and my greatest disappointment."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I guess I really shouldn't be surprised. For the past couple of weeks, I have done nothing but getting my ass handed to me then waking up the day after feeling like complete shit. To be a bit more specific, I woke up feeling like my entire upper body had been used as a punching bag. I laughed a little, which made my insides jiggle painfully. I was used as a punching bag!

 _"Morning sleepyhead."_

I looked up and saw Cass across from me, hovering over a table with a lot of disassembled machine parts scattered about alongside dew rags. The smell of cleaning oil lay heavy in the air, so I guessed the obvious. I chuckled weakly.

 _"Doesn't feel like morning, Ms. Greasemonkey."_

 _"Oh har har har, eat shit jerkface,"_ she chuckled, _"and to answer your question, it isn't."_

 _"How long was I out?"_

 _"Goin' half a day plus some change."_

With a start, I tried to jump from the bed only to have a thousand hot needles rack me across my ribs, sending me crashing comfortably back into the bed. When I tried again, Cass jumped from her seat like a startled cat and held me down. That was when I realized my entire torso was completely wrapped in bandages.

 _"Take it easy, you masochist,"_ she commanded, _"ya went through a lot of shit last night, so that constitutes a full days rest."_

 _"Cass, I can't,"_ I grunt as I tried to roll away from her only to have me moved back over, _"Cass, I've wasted too much time already."_

 _"Gideon lay your ass down or I will lay it for you!"_ she growled. Reluctantly, I did as I was told. With a sigh, she sat back in her chair, wiping her brow with a back hand.

 _"Gid, half of your ribs were bruised. Now I'm no doctor, but I think that means ya shouldn't be jumpin' around like a crazy monkey high on jet."_

For a long minute, I glared at her hatefully. But eventually it dawned on me the truth of what she was saying. I couldn't extract any form of revenge on Vegas Man, not while I'm this battered. I sighed, and let my miserable head sink into the pillow.

 _"Window ain't closed yet, Gid,"_ she replied reassuringly, _"Boulder City is still a day's hike from the 188. Twice that considering it's Khans doing the walking in NCR territory. We still have time."_

 _"I know,"_ I grumbled, _"I'm just tired of getting jerked around. First by Powder Gangers, then by Legion and then by this stinking hive of mutated bastards. It's like I have to kick everybody's ass to get anywhere. So just for once I would like our plans to go without getting monkeywrenched by some despicable jackass."_

 _"Hey, that's just part of the fun!"_

 _"What? Us getting our asses kicked all the time?"_

 _"Exactly!"_

I couldn't help but laugh, which was very short lived indeed.

 _"Veronica must be rubbing off on you. You're never this cheerful."_

 _"Hey! I'm cheerful all the damn time, ya just don't notice. You brooding and all."_

 _"I don't brood… do I?"_

She just shook her head with the wilyest grin you can imagine. After a minute I finally asked the question that had been haunting me every since I woke:

 _"How are the lovebirds?"_

She took a minute to answer:

 _"They're not tryna kill each other, so I guess that's a start."_

 _"Yeah, I guess."_

 _"What you said last night… that was… well, damn."_

 _"That bad?"_

 _"Hell no. It got the job done. But you said 'bout us bein' orphans and all…"_

 _"What about it?"_

 _"Dunno, I just never thought about it before."_

 _"Yeah,"_ I nodded somberly, _"A Caravan of Orphans. Sounds like a bad joke."_

 _"I dread its punchline. Which leaves you."_

 _"Yeah. But I don't need my memories to tell me that."_

 _"You definitely got the look of someone who gets booted into leaps of trouble. Which brings me back to a point."_

 _"What point is that?"_

 _"You fainted last night. I wanna know why."_

 _"Cass, c'mon it's not important."_

I didn't really know how she's react in that moment. A rant, maybe cold silence. Instead, she took my hand in hers as she bore me down with those chilling blue eyes of hers.

 _"Gideon, do you wanna end up like Boone?"_

 _"Not particularly."_

 _"Then level with me here. It's like you said, ya ain't alone anymore. You got me to figure things out. Besides, ya fuckin' fascinate me."_

 _"Oh really?"_ I asked with a cocky smile and raised eyebrow. She just rolled her eyes.

 _"Don't get any ideas, lover boy,"_ she smirked, _"ya just make my days unboring. Granted I don't think I've been shot at quite as often as when I'm with you."_

 _"Hey, I'm a bullet magnet. What can I say?"_

She didn't laugh, though. I sighed and took a long minute about what needed to be said. Finally, I began my exposition:

 _"I don't know what this dream or memory or whatever the hell it is, means. And I don't know when they taken place, save sometime in my past."_

 _"Go on."_

 _"I recognized the place. I could remember the air tasting like salt. Could feel the corrosiveness in my boots as I trudged through the swamp. From my guess, I was either in or somewhere close to the Great Salt Lake."_

That surprised her.

 _"Gideon, that's White Leg territory. Most caravaners aren't stupid enough to go that far north. What the hell were you doing there?"_

 _"I was hunting them."_

She didn't believe the words that came out of my mouth.

 _"Nobody hunts the White Legs on their own turf."_

 _"I was though, and I wasn't alone. There were at least eight of us, all armed to the teeth and moving through the darkness with military precision. We hit them in the dawn,"_ I closed my eye as the horrors of that bloody day began to seep in, _"It wasn't a battle, Cass. It was a goddamn slaughter. We…"_ I stopped to collect my thoughts, _"I, cut my way through not just the men, but also the women and the children,"_ I shuttered at this, _"We butchered them like livestock. But what scared me more was what I was feeling at the time,"_ I look her hard in the face, _"I wasn't feeling guilt or sorrow, but anger. A hot, searing hatred that consumed my very being. I hated them so much that killing 'em was as easy as breathing."_

Silence. Cass stared at me, her mouth drooped open in shock, as her eyes stared me. I couldn't even describe what that look. I couldn't read what she was feeling, and it made me all the more cold.

 _"Now do you understand why I didn't want to say anything at the time?"_

She nodded somberly.

 _"I do, Gideon. But…"_ she stopped to look at me, rolling her eyes over me before she continued, _"I've tangled with the White Legs. Yes, I was the one stupid caravener to barge into their turf and I've…"_ she stopped again, closing her eyes tight as her breathing became shallow, her voice strained somewhere between grief and rage, _"I've seen what they do to children. What they do to women. So I'll tell you that whatever you did to those… those… fucking savages,"_ she growled with an anger that rivaled mine in that moment all those years ago, _"they deserved more."_

I nodded, the words of the red-haired man running through my brain.

 _"That's what Roy told me."_

 _"Who's Roy?"_

 _"There was a man there. Early twenties, short cropped red hair, heavily freckled. He—I don't know who he is. But I feel like I do. And he keeps popping up in my past."_

 _"You've seen him before."_

I nodded remembering the attack on the prison which seemed so long ago.

 _"A few days before I met you, I had another memory like this. Roy was there. And there was a woman. Same deal. And in that memory, we were fighting the Legion."_

 _"What's next: you fighting Deathclaws?"_

 _"I wouldn't be surprised. I seem to have a bad habit of trying to kick everything mean and ugly in the ass."_

It finally got the result I wanted. When she'd calm down enough, she continued her interrogation:

 _"Well this gives us a couple of hints 'bout who you are. Namely, we got a face to ask."_

 _"If he's alive,"_ I pointed out, _"and if he is, I don't know where to find him."_

 _"It's a start at least. Plus there aren't many out there who've fought all those you have."_

 _"I guess,"_ I pushed myself against the wall, _"that can wait though. How are the others holding up?"_

 _"Well, the Ghoul is keepin' himself busy with the Rover."_

 _"What's wrong with the Rover?"_

 _"Wouldn't say. Just started shoutin' something or other in Spanish,"_ well that's just fucking great, _"Boone's working with Neil to loot some of the compounds stores."_

 _"Who's Neil?"_

 _"He's a mutant Boone ran into on the way up and don't worry he's on our side. Boone wouldn't be alive without him."_

 _"Fine. But I meet him and I'm packing. Clear?"_

 _"Fine by me. V and the bot are tryna salvage some tech off the transmitter we blew up earlier."_

Well at least everybody's keeping busy.

 _"Tonight. We need to get everybody together. I think it's time some things were said."_

 _"I agree."_

* * *

I found my window about an hour later. I don't mind having Cass taking care of me, but I can't just lie in bed doing nothing. I need to do something or else the monotony is going to drive me insane and besides I have a list of questions that need probing. Sure, it hurts to walk and talk and generally do anything, but you know what? Pain is refreshing.

I immediately ate my words when ED-E practically tackled me to the ground.

 _"Hey buddy,"_ I winced as I tried to dislodge the floating discoball, _"I missed you too, but seriously get off!"_

He took a float back but he still swarmed all over me like a crazed puppy. His radio blared out a blurred, incoherent fusion of songs that sounded gibberish. But I understood him well enough. Then Veronica came to my rescued:

 _"C'mon buddy, Gideon's broken enough as it is. No need to reduce him to dust."_

 _"Yeah,"_ I chuckled as she hefted me on to my feet, _"considering his body count I would say he's capable of worse."_

 _"Oh I know,"_ she winked, _"I studied his model, well his earlier models. Granted, I never thought I'd have the pleasure,"_ he beamed brightly at this, _"of travelling with one. Then again I didn't think any would still be functioning after the Oilrig or Navar-"_

 _"Doc,"_ I interrupted with a genuine impersonation of that damned bunny, _"yer motor-mouthing again. Otta take a breath 'fore ya burst like a tomato."_

She smiled like a six year old kid.

 _"Hallelujah, I'm not the only who's seen that cartoon!"_

 _"What you kidding?"_ I smirked, _"I fucking love that show! Granted I wish the coyote would just murder that damn roadrunner already."_

She smiled again.

 _"Now I know who you remind me of."_

 _"V, there's no way in hell I'm that wily or that indestructible."_

We both laughed, granted mine lasted exactly five seconds before I felt fire under my skin again and I had to stop. But V just kept laughing until she had tears.

 _"Sorry. I haven't laughed like that in years."_

 _"Happy to oblige. V,"_ I asked with all the care I could muster, _"how you holding up?"_

 _"You mean with all the shenanigans we went through the last couple of days or with Boone?"_

 _"Both I guess."_

 _"I honestly don't know. It's not my first time, but this is perhaps the most personal."_

 _"V, c'mon—"_

 _"No, Gideon. Boone was right. Right about everything. Right about the Brotherhood and—"_

 _"V,"_ I grabbed her by the shoulders. Strange, there's something hard underneath this robe, _"stop beating yourself up for things you had no involvement in. Besides, everything that is breathing has had to do terrible things to stay alive in this fucked up little world of ours. That does not make you a bad person."_

 _"But what if we're not willing to change? To try and maybe do better?"_

 _"What is this about, V? What are you getting at?"_

She didn't respond. She opened her mouth to speak but then promptly shut it as her eyes rolled sideways.

 _"V,"_ I soothed, _"whatever it is you can tell me."_

 _"It's not that. I just… it's something that everybody needs to hear."_

 _"What?"_

 _"Why I'm here."_

* * *

" _Porque te engendro mecánico! Te rompo en pedazos! Lo hare—gah! Oh Jesús Cristo!_ _Don't sneak up on me like that! I'm old. I might vomito mi intestinos en usted."_

 _"Well I've already been through pretty much everything else so I guess that wouldn't be too surprising,"_ I chuckled, _"So Cass's told me you're working on the engine. What's wrong with it?"_

 _"What's wrong with it, he says,"_ Raul grumbled, _"Boss, whoever put together this asqueroso mierda of an engine should be thrown head first into a letrina then roasted over a spindle!"_

 _"Raul, I thought it's unwise to speak ill of the dead."_

 _"The dead can kiss mi pudriendo culo! This engine is an abomination!"_

 _"Well what's the problem with it exactly?"_

He practically grabbed me by the shoulders and threw over to the open hood of the Land Rover. And believe me, it was a mess. It was a giant cobble of torn wires and battered parts all thrown about yet somehow remaining attached by some miracle.

 _"Okay. It did not look like this when I found it."_

" _Lo juro suave la piel,"_ he swore under his breath, _"I had to rip apart the engine because la piel verde smashed the thing first! Regardless, the bastard is a hobble patchwork barely held together by ducktape! No me mierda que, the radiator itself is being held by three year old wonderglue! It broke off in my hand! I'm about ready to set fire to this unholy thing!"_

" _Okay easy up, Kilgore,"_ I held up my hands to steady him, _"first things first: no setting fire to anything. Second can you fix this thing?"_

" _If I had four days to my lonesome, I could rebuild this entire thing around a proper fusion core. It would work properly with twice power."_

" _We don't have four days."_

" _Boss, I know. I'm just filling your cabeza with a dizzying prospect of glamorous hope. My mistake. But yes, I can fix this impios bastardo monstruno nino del infierno by say, maybe dinner?"_

" _Well that's a start I suppose."_

" _Bien por ti. Now hand me that socket wrench."_

After this, he buried himself into the hood and I turned to leave.

" _You know she cares about you."_

I stopped cold.

" _Who does?"_

" _Don't play coy, boss. You know who I'm talking about."_

" _Well, that's none of your damned business then."_

" _Gideon,"_ he stepped out from the hood to face me, and what surprised me most were his eyes. They were narrow-slit, but focused upon me. They were sincere, devoid of any kind of humor, _"I know it's not my business. But look at me. I've lived a dozen different life times so I'm accustomed to life passing me by. So listen to me when I tell you this,"_ he pointed in the direction of the main compounded and the person in it, _"that girl in there cares a great deal about you. Don't throw your chance with that because it comes only once in life._ _La mujer que pueden crecer hasta la muerte con viejo te parte._ _Don't throw that away just because of revenge."_

" _Raul,"_ I turned about to face him, _"it's… it's not about that."_

" _Ah I see,"_ he rested his hands on his hips, _"you're afraid of commitment then."_

" _No, I don't think—"_

" _Boss, I've lived long enough to have seen all the different tipos de personas in every walk of life. You strike me as a good man, a tough man who's walked a tougher road. And that's the problem. I can see in your eye a lot of pain rolled up in many different layers. And yes, Cass told me about your amnesia problemo. But I think you don't need memories to know this, right?"_

I nodded slowly. He continued.

" _You've let that pain shape you. Now, esto hace que te duro como una piedra, pero … you have let that make you lonely. Why? Because by and by you are afraid to lose her."_

I smiled slightly.

" _Are you sure you're just a mechanic?"_

He smiled back.

" _I'm just an old man who seen everything life has to offer._ _So have I… er, golpeo en la cabeza?"_

" _Partially. Yes everything you said is true but…"_ I stopped to think about the next thing coming forward, _"Raul, you and I both know how probably screwed up my past life is, considering what I'm able to do. I won't involve her or anybody else until I figure it out."_

He smiled a very wry smile, showing his peculiar white teeth.

" _Boss, you are the rarest thing in the universe."_

" _What's that?"_

" _Un caballero."_

I smiled at that. He then shook his hand at me and dived back under the hood.

" _Ah look at me getting sentimental. Go on, I'm sure you have better things to do."_

* * *

 **Neil**

* * *

" _So you're Neil?"_

The human caught me off guard, but it did not surprise me. I'd been waiting for it since this morning.

" _And you're Gideon Maddox. I heard you don't particularly like my kind."_

As I turned, the one-eyed man glared at me like that nameless bounty hunter from that very old movie as his hand went behind his back, no doubt to grip a hidden weapon.

 _"No,"_ he replied coldly, _"I don't. Walk with me."_

The muscles in my neck tensed, but I forced myself to be calm. From everything Boone of the NCR has told me, this human is honorable. He won't shoot me in the back, but I couldn't shake the feeling that he would. This was only further emphasized when I saw his hand reach around his back and stay there for several seconds. But then it returned empty handed.

 _"A cautious one, I see."_

 _"When life has tried to kill you with everything it can, you take it as a natural habit."_

 _"I can agree with that."_

And so the human took point and I followed closely. He hobbled slightly with every step and when we reached the crest of the hill overlooking the valley of my previous handiwork; he was winded. Yet he stood either way, beside the fact his knees shook slightly.

 _"In your state, it is perfectly honorable to sit and rest,"_ I offered politely. He spun and glared at me.

 _"Don't offer me advice, Greenie. You and I are still on thin ice,"_ his voice felt strained and he looked down at the ground before coming back to face me, _"but, I'll take it anyway."_

And so we sat, my eyes watching him carefully. There was something about him, something abnormal; a supposition that I could not explain. It served to echo the many stories that Marcus had shared with me about his journeys with the Chosen One. And when I looked upon him, I was reminded of him. All those tales of his heroics, of his honesty and courage, of his trials and many, many faults, and I could see many of them upon him.

What a strange coincidence.

 _"You lookin' at something, Greenie?"_

 _"Just you."_

He shrugged and stared down at the valley. I didn't need look to know the smoldering wreck that now became the tomb of those I once called brother and sister. Those of us created to become the greatest lifeform of this destroyed world, only now to bear the same curse as all the rest. Not so special then are we? His whistle, which echoed loudly over the rolling hills, shook me from my thoughts.

 _"Hot damn,"_ he smirked, _"Now that's a hole! So how'd you do it?"_

 _"A Fatman, human."_

 _"A Fatman?"_ he bellowed sarcastically, which was followed by a long set of coughs before he continued, _"first we got a Super Mutant who doesn't want to eat us, and would rather murder his own kind than do so! Plus to top it off, did it with a nuclear catapult! Wow, that's quite a story. You should get that published!"_

I narrowed my eyes.

 _"Are you purposely trying to test my patience?"_

 _"Got that right, ya green skin bastard. My instinct tells me I haven't met a Mutant who hasn't tried to eat me. So are you?"_

 _"No,"_ I replied, _"but you are tempting. I think you might taste delicious."_

 _"Heh, so you can joke. That's new too."_

 _"Clearly you haven't met Marcus."_

 _"Who?"_

 _"Someone you'll eventually meet."_

 _"Well that's vague."_

 _"Meant to be, human."_

He stared at me, his eyebrow raised. I could allow myself to smile a little. This human was doing the same task as I was. He was, oh what's the phrase? Summing me up.

 _"So, why did you help?"_

 _"You mean why did I choose strangers over my own kind?"_

He nodded.

 _"Because they were not my kind, human. Tell me, do you weep when you kill a fellow human? Do you despair when you slaughter perhaps dozens because they would do the same to you? Or do you accept it as part of what you must be to live one more day?"_

 _"Do you?"_

 _"I am ancient. I have lived for centuries. And I have killed many in many a leader's name. I butchered for a God who cursed us with our existence. I have slaughtered for my species advancement, and at times, it's very survival. Yet here, here on this mountain of sand and broken worlds, I killed for my conscience. You see,"_ I pointed to the valley of tombs, _"those who now sleep with the inferno there that I have sown had exhausted their reason to live. They help rob me and others of our chance for peace. You ask why I killed my own kind. I killed because I only want us to be left alone, to live out our lives without the threat of persecution or madness overtaking us."_

He did not speak. He did not even breathe. Rather he sat in the silence, only the wind whimpering softly between us. Dragging perhaps a handful of sand to be displaced someplace else. An uncaring world to set foreground between us.

His answer came in the form of a nod, and when his eye closed at last, he answered softly.

 _"I… can accept that."_

He stared out across the miles of bare sand, stretching across from mountain to mountain. Until at last it reached the remains of civilization. And there at its center, a single glimmering tower of metal, shinning defiance to some and hope to others. I have seen it a thousand times to know the look it creates in others. Yet it did not last as he soon returned to reality.

 _"I want you to understand something, Neil,"_ he began, taking a moment to look back at what remained of Tabitha's madness, _"I don't hate you. I fear you. Do you understand the difference?"_

I nodded.

 _"That's why I have this,"_ he removed the heavy handgun from behind his back, and set it down between us, barrel pointing away, _"I never wish to use it. And I wish that I didn't have such an intimate relationship with death. But I do. And so I must use it. And that is why I don't trust you."_

 _"Because my kind hasn't given you a reason to?"_

 _"Yeah. But I'm hoping you can set the score right."_

I nodded.

 _"I don't wish to fight, Gideon. I want peace. I want to live out my life simply, in harmony with everything and everyone else. That is why I helped you. I don't want to return to the days of the Master. I don't want to be seen as the monster he made us to be."_

 _"Y'know, I've always heard of this Master. That he was a boogeyman from way back when. But I always thought he was a legend."_

 _"He wasn't. He was a man, like you and me. And he became the first of my kind. And then he created us. The perfect beings, to inherit an imperfect world. There was something he once said, centuries ago, that summed up perfectly what he created us to do. We are the Master Race. Able to survive, and even thrive in the wasteland. Yet so long as there are differences, we will eventually tear ourselves apart."_

 _"So he wanted to replace us then?"_

 _"Yes. He wanted peace. He wanted order. But that's not really what he wanted, even if he did not realize it. He wanted to rule. To be a God of creatures made in his image. And he had us do terrible things to ensure his accession. And for that, we bear that shame. And Tabitha,"_ I peered behind me again, _"She only reminded me of what I once was: a monster doing monstrous things."_

 _"I know a thing or two about monsters."_

 _"I have no doubt. I have seen the worst, but also the best in humanity,"_ I gestured my finger solely at him, _"in my time, there have been men of great things who arrive to set right the balance of the world. First against my kind, then against the Enclave. And now,"_ I stood peering out towards the great wall far away from prying eye, _"against new evils."_

 _"Ah c'mon,"_ he smiled, _"look at me. Do I look like hero material to you? I'm just an out of luck courier who keeps getting shot at."_

 _"You and I both know you are more than that. Afterall, not many can boast they prevented two mortal enemies from killing the other."_

 _"That… that was just luck."_

 _"Was it? Do you really believe that?"_

 _"I don't know what to believe. All I know is that I just keep getting lucky."_

I smiled down at him.

 _"You know, before I became this, I used to live in a Vault. I don't remember much. But there was a book, an explanation for the steps of great men. Its author was a simple man named Joseph Campbell."_

 _"Your point being?"_

 _"Denial, Mr. Maddox. Denial."_

 _"Ha. Well, I'm not in denial about anything. I just don't really give a shit."_

I couldn't help but laugh. It sounded so strange to my ears. I hadn't laughed in a long time.

 _"But Neil?"_

 _"Yes?"_

 _"Thanks. Thanks for saving our asses back there, especially Boone's. I owe you big time."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _The Brotherhood is failing."_

It was nine in the evening and we'd finally had everybody to have our little powwow. Last couple hours we'd spent getting our gear stored, along with emptying the armory and anything else valuable into duffle bags that were now strapped to the bed of my truck. From what Cass wrote in her little notebook and the general look she gave over everything here; we'd probably make a couple thousand. Raul kept his word and finally joined us after about 6 hours or so working on the engine. The guy was covered from scalp to knee in motor oil.

 _"Don't ask, Boss. Just know I'm un hombre de mi palabra."_

 _"Hey I had no doubt. Just remind me the next time we find an identical green jumpsuit and maybe a shower, you're tossing that."_

 _"A la mierda no."_

As for me, Cass had me quarantined to the bed for the last half day. Honestly, I'm glad. That talk with Neil just about killed me. I already feel better. Granted that was probably going to change pretty damn soon.

Boone and ED-E both got on ash digging duty. From what he told me though he had a hard enough time trying to incinerate their damn corpses.

 _"Tough hides, Gideon. A hell of a lot less combustible than ours."_

He now sat in the corner, close to the door with his rifle propped against the wall with only his left hand holding the bowl of stewed K-Rations. I knew he was well past the shoot on sight phase, but seeing him there like that still set me on edge a little. I'd only got to know both of these guys and gals on a couple of days, and I still cared pretty badly for 'em. Last thing I need is them killing each other. Hell I could even feel the fear coming off of ED-E and I doubt he scares easy.

My eyes somehow found their way to Cass, who sat also in another corner; spinning away over the little caldron of better-than-nothing grub. She met mine, and the look she gave me sent a little ice water down my spine. Yeah, she wasn't the only one either. Which left Veronica, who stood before us all with her back turned. It was a long agonizing pause before she spoke again; her voice a slight quiver despite all her effort to remain steady, turning to face us:

 _"You all know our story, our purpose here. For centuries, we have collected and confiscated technology to serve as a bulwark against our own self destructive nature."_

 _"Ya mean keepin' all the big bad toys away from everybody?"_ Cass inquired. Veronica nodded.

 _"So they don't blow themselves up. But even long before I was born we've lost our way."_

 _"That's putting it lightly,"_ Boone remarked.

 _"Watch it,"_ I growled, but Veronica just shook her head.

 _"No Gideon, he's right. Everything that he said last night about the Brotherhood was all true. Every bit of it,"_ she looked over to my right, over to where Neil was and she seemed to hesitate.

 _"It's alright, child,"_ he answered with his balls deep baritone, _"say what needs to be said."_

She nodded and continued.

 _"Gone are the days of us fighting the creations of a madman. Of us helping a tribal bring down an evil born from the old world or even helping everyday settlements from just everyday horrors. We've become so obsessed with our mission that we've forgotten what it means to be human. We don't recruit from the outside, or pay heed to their ideas, or their protests. Instead, we just waste away hiding in our bunkers, completely isolated from the world above."_

She looked over to Boone and her face grew paler like a walk through a cemetery.

 _"And when we do come out, we take what doesn't belong to us. And we've done nothing but make enemies from everybody else."_

She sighed heavily and slumped into a chair, her fingers pressed twixed upon her brow.

 _"Y'know, there was a time when the Brotherhood was the leading edge in science. So many frontiers to crack, so many secrets to unravel, so much good to be done with what we have and had,"_ she looked up at us, _"but now? We've grown so phobic of tech that it's grown to the point of irrationality. And it's spread to everything that we do."_

 _"So that's what you meant,"_ I replied, remembering what she'd told me earlier, _"the Brotherhood's not willing to change?"_

 _"Not willing to adapt. We've become as rigid as a board and it's killing us. And I have tried everything to try and make them see reason. And that's how I ended up out here."_

 _"They kicked you out?"_

 _"More like I kicked myself out,"_ she replied with a smirk that quickly vanished, _"nothing was getting done, and I am almost entirely on my own here."_

 _"Not anymore,"_ Boone replied, completely startling everybody in the room, especially Veronica. We all turned to stare at him, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Clearing his throat, he continued:

 _"Look, I was wrong Veronica. What I—what I did last night was out of line. And I can't judge you or your people, considering I'm a hell of a lot worse. And the bear isn't exactly clean of its own crimes, either."_

 _"Nobody is, Boone,"_ I replied softly, _"in this life, you either fight or you die."_

 _"It's not always that simple, Gideon."_

 _"Why do you say that?"_

He opened his mouth to answer, but he promptly closed it. And by the look in his eye he wasn't going to. Christ, what is with these people and their goddamn secrets?

 _"So, una extrana, if you're convinced that your people can't change, then what are you doing out here? Looking for a new life?"_

 _"No. I'm looking for solutions. That's why I asked Gideon if I could come along. I can't help them find their way with stuffy books in a stuffier bunker. I need to see the world, and see how its people survive. I just haven't found what I'm looking for yet."_

 _"Girlie, just cause somethin' works for one bunch of folk don't mean it'll work for yours."_

 _"I know!"_ she blurted out angrily, but immediately dawned an apologetic face, _"I'm sorry, Cass. But I just don't know what else to do. If we continue on this course, we'll die. Either someone will finish the job from Helios or we'll just fade away."_

 _" But donchya worry about a second longer, 'cuase ya got a friend in me! "_

 _"Thanks ED-E,"_ I chuckled, _"I couldn't have said it better myself. V, if this really matters to you, then I'll help you find your answers."_

 _"Me too. Not much good on all that philosophy and shit, but I've seen my fair bit of weird and crazy. Ya got my vote on it."_

 _"Granted, fuego mujer, you'll probably crash all her dreams doing so."_

She turned to face him, her face impassive but she eventually shook her shoulders:

 _"Eh yer probably right."_

 _"Count me in."_

Again the staring at Boone.

 _"What? Yeah, the Brotherhood's not exactly on my list of favorite people, but I gotta make up for my own sins."_

Veronica looked like she was going to cry. I almost wanted to reach across and hug her, but I resisted the urge. ED-E however made up for it by floating over to her at an angle to where to she could hug him.

 _"Thank you. Thank all of you."_

 _"I need to ask,"_ Boone interrupted, _"how are you not dead?"_

 _"I don't understand."_

 _"You took on a mutant and the worst you got was a bloody nose. How?"_

 _"Oh,"_ she replied almost embarrassingly, which she quickly replaced with a mischievous grin, _"well before I left I… well, borrowed a little something they were working on in the lab."_

Before any of us could so much as breathe, the burlap robe hit the floor and we're completely stupefied by what we saw (no not that, perverts). She was wearing a suit. A really high tech looking suit.

 _"What the hell?"_ Cass chimed. Veronica grinned.

 _"Don't tell anybody that I have this. Lorenzo would totally blow a gasket."_

 _"Well what is it?"_

 _"This is a prototype survival suit built by the Army from way back when for Special Forces being airdropped into China. We found it about thirty years ago and the boys down in the lab managed to get the thing into working order. And now it's mine."_

This survival suit is a little hard to explain so bear with me. The actual base layer of this thing was a SCUBA looking one-piece pull on in all black fabric with a set of three interconnecting metal chest pieces. Wait a second. That's not fabric.

 _"Veronica, hold still."_

 _"Oh go ahead. You got the right idea."_

I drew my .45 on her leg.

 _"Whoa Gideon,"_ Cass and just about everybody else in the room tried to stop me, _"the hell are you doing!?"_

 _"It's okay Cass,"_ reassured Veronica, _"but Gideon, please aim a bit higher. I have a little less cushioning in my limbs."_

So I aimed at her chest.

 _"You may wanna cover your ears,"_ and just before I took the shot I took my own advice. I fired at her stomach, and the expected happen. The .45 knocked her down to the floor, but when she got up she was perfectly fine. And in her fingers was the smashed remains of the slug.

 _"I knew it. Ballistic Weave."_

She smiled.

 _"Ballistic weave mixed in with reactive titanium and ceramic absorbents, plus a lot of jell cushioning."_

 _"So yer tellin' us you're bulletproof?"_

 _"Close enough. The suit is made with about 12 different layers of the stuff all sewn together in a honeycomb pattern. It can stop up to most small arms, plus a fair share of energy and shrapnel."_

 _"Most?"_ Boone asked. She gestured to his hunting rifle.

 _"That however will go right through. There's only so much you can squeeze into it."_

 _"But it doesn't restrict your movements at all,"_ Neil commented, _"and I'm assuming those are strength enhanced exo-skeletal hydraulic limbs."_

 _"You know your tech."_

 _"I know my Power Armor."_

What they were talking about were the skeleton looking pressure rigs attached to her legs and arms. Think metal robot limbs attached to her already existing limbs and that's the general idea. However, spaced in and around these metal parts were tons of wires. Some connected clearly to her gloves at the knuckles and palms, or down to the soles of her boots, while the rest however ran up and along her body to something on her back.

 _"So wait,"_ Cass interrupted, _"yer talking about what, like portable power armor?"_

" _Miss Cassidy, you may move up to the front row because you've just been promoted. Yeah the idea is that it can still give me the needed umph if you will without making me seem like a giant robot seen from a hundred miles away. The original inventers however couldn't figure out to make it smaller though."_

 _"Yet you figured it out?"_ Neil asked.

 _"Thank the Enclave. They figured out the first step with something similar, we just finished the rest."_

 _"Si, but if I remember correctly Power Armor frames require an entire fusion core along with a damn engine strapped to your back. What, you went with a smaller battery too?"_

 _"Again, thank the Enclave, granted it's a one of a kind."_

With that she turned to show us her back. Beside the gracious view she gave us of her ungodly well mannered curves, we also saw that the arm portion connect to what seemed like a support rig basically shaped like a pair of shoulder blades. Those along with the legs were connected via large black power cables to a flat metal box on her lower back. Which of course had the radiation symbol printed on it.

 _"Okay so a light power armor frame with a bullet proof suit,"_ Cass summarized than added, _"so just how strong are you with this tin can?"_

 _"Allow me to demonstrate."_

She left and we followed. Outside there was a beaten up old motorcycle wreck sitting out of nowhere. Veronica set herself to her knees and then lifted the damn thing over her head strong man style!

 _"Cristo, that weighs an easy 330 Kilos."_

 _"Uh what's a kilo?"_

 _"Mexico used the Metric System,"_ Veronica answered, all while still holding up the damn motorcycle _"totally different measuring system than what we used. The First French Republic came up with it back in 1799, and most of the world ended up using it too. Of course, not the US of A. It's based around measures of ten and…"_

 _"What does it translate to?"_

 _"Oh sorry. Uh let me do some math here… add the five, multiply the 2 and… yeah, about 728 pounds. Granted I'm rounding up of course."_

 _"Damn girl,"_ Cass laughed, _"you did all that talkin' while holdin' a half ton? Just how much shit can you carry?"_

 _"Never tested it per say. Right now, this isn't like really, really heavy, but I can still feel the weight in my shoulders. Maybe a thousand pounds or so?"_

 _"Okay, I need to ask the obvious, then,"_ I knew I was going to get shit for this but I need to know, _"when you and me sparred, just how much were you holding back?"_

 _"Do you want numbers or just plain answers?"_

 _"Both… I guess?"_

 _"Okay. An average boxer can punch with about 900lbs of force. Full strength I can punch about three or four times harder than that. Meaning that if I hit you, say in your arm not holding back? I could probably shatter it to pieces, if it didn't get torn off by the force and pressure and sent flying."_

Jesus. She barely hit me with anything.

 _"Don't be upset, Gideon,"_ she smiled at me, _"After all, I'm wearing a suit of armor that y'know lets me hold this thing,"_ she gestured the motorcycle, _"while I give you a lecture of sorts."_

 _"Ah don't cry whittle wabbit,"_ Cass mocked from behind my back. I turned and gave her my best kill-you-with-my-single-pissed-little-eye glare that could I manage.

 _"Shut up,"_ I replied softly and then I turned back to Veronica.

" _Okay Iron Maiden,"_ I challenged, _"what other good toys do you have?"_

 _"Well how about this?"_

She carefully set the motorcycle down and then hit a button on her collar; causing a helmet to form around her head! It was generally shaped like any other ballistic helmet, except for the flat line shaped visor and the regulator connected down where the mouth was, and along with the round shaped audio receivers and transmitters. What? I know my helmets not my techno-suits.

 _"Cool, huh?"_ Her voice was being muffled through a radio, _"it forms from individual pieces on my back and connects together. It comes with multiple vision strobes and an air regulator with a thirty minute supply. I also have a water re-filtering system set along the inside of my suit."_

 _"Wait, so you drink your own piss?"_

 _"Piss and sweat. Don't worry, it's all purified and de-salivated so it doesn't taste like anything."_

 _"What about numero dos?"_

 _"Eh, no. I'm not quite sure that work all that well. Lastly, the suit also contains an auto injection system just in case of emergencies."_

 _"What, like Rad-X?"_

 _"And Morphine too. And also there's this."_

This I didn't need to be told what it was. On top of everything else she had a damn Power Fist.

 _"Jesus, Girlie,"_ Cass exclaimed, _"yer a fricking walking arsenal of death."_

 _"That's the idea."_

 _"But I'm guessing the suit doesn't do that well against sharp impact,"_ Boone remarked, _"a general rule of Kevlar is that they do shit against a well place knife."_

 _"Unfortunately yes. But between the choice of being semi-bullet proof or shank proof, the choice is fairly obvious."_

 _"I'll keep that in mind."_

She then hit the button again, and the helmet came apart, sliding down her back again. When went back inside, she redressed into her now understandable burlap robe and slumped right back down into her chair with an almost childlike expression on her face. I shook my head.

 _"Well thanks for the demonstration, but I need to borrow the power chair."_

She nodded and we traded seats. After about a minute, I made my peace:

 _"Look, you all know why I'm here. So I'm going to make this very simple. If you want out, then this is your getting-off point. If not, then you all need to understand that I'm going to see this through, no matter the proverbial bullshit Karma decides to send our way. And if you do come, then I expect you to watch mine and each other's backs. We clear?"_

They all took a second, but they eventually all nodded.

 _"And if you have any other unresolved drama with each other, then now's the time to get it off your chests."_

A steady silence until Raul broke it with his nonsense.

 _"I hate you all, Veronica reminds me of my sister and you jefe remind me of the mierda cara who stole my girlfriend way back in 2073."_

I chuckled softly.

 _"Thanks for the nonsense."_

 _"De nada."_

 _"Neil, any chance you might need a ride?"_

He shook his head.

 _"Doubtless more Super Mutants heard Tabitha's broadcast. I need to stay here and divert them elsewhere."_

 _"I understand."_

* * *

About an hour later, we were finally on the road. We loaded up the last of our gear, snuggled in, said our goodbyes to the sole resident of this here mountain and started our way down. The first thing that hit us was the sheer destruction that Neil had caused last night. Where once a village built out of the remains of adobe houses and a fallen satellite dish stood; now replaced by three very large holes of smoldering ash and smoke. Already as we drove by the air was chocked with it, making my Geiger Counter built into the Pip-Boy beep madly.

Suffice to say I hightailed it out of there.

 _"Lo aunque ande en Valle de Sombra de Muerte, no voy temo ningún mal,"_ Raul whispered softly. I concur.

 _"Could it have killed them to build a straight road down the mountain instead of this serpentine shit?"_ Cass grumbled. I shook my head.

 _"They nuked the world, remember?"_

 _"Touché."_

 _"So you ever been to Vegas?"_ I heard Veronica asked. Raul laughed.

 _"Lo que me? Si, but I kept getting so lucky at cards that eventually they took me outside and said to me, 'listen, you're too awesome for us,' and of course there were the women…"_

 _"This should be good,"_ Boone replied.

 _"Oh trust me, mi amigo de mandíbula de cincel, these were damas of high stature and allure! They could never get enough of me! I could even hear them whisper 'that handsome Mexicano Ghoul is looking at us, oh I should've brought a better dress!' And of course being the caballero that I was, I challenge their novios to a duel of pistolas!"_

 _"Let me guess,"_ I called back, _"they shot you, left you in a ditch and after a couple of days you crawled out?"_

 _"What? No senior. I am too good for that! I dodged their bullets and then shot their pistolas out of their hands. And then I said to each of them 'do you feel lucky punks?'"_

 _"And what happened then?"_ Veronica asked excitedly. I admit, I wanted to hear where this was going.

 _"Oh they begged, seniora. They plead for their lives. To shut them up, I said 'give me your women, your children, your caps, all of your fancy houses, that little pony I see you riding everywhere and of course your clothes. Yes give me your clothes too!'"_

 _" Whata straight up fiber! "_

There was a sudden silence at ED-E's response. That was broken when we all started laughing. Hell even ED-E started laughing! Then there was a loud _clank_ and something fell off the back of the Rover.

 _"We got a runaway tire!"_

 _"Son of a…"_

I hit the brakes, and jumped out of the Rover. Cass followed suit.

 _"Boone you're with us. V, Raul and ED-E stay in the vehicle."_

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

As the three of them went out of sight, I let my head slump against the seat. I had slept fairly well last night, but damn I still felt fairly tired. Maybe I should just… what's Raul doing?

 _"Hey Raul, what's up?"_

He was leaning over the door and looking out the window.

 _"Uh, Veronica? Tell me this isn't what I think it is?"_

Annoyed, I scooted over to look out the window. When I did, my stomach dropped. A giant three toed foot print, half filled with muddy water. I hit my helmet and brought up night-vision. As I guessed, the tracks led downhill.

 _"How far away are we from that Quarry by Sloan?"_

 _"Not far enough apparently."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

It took a solid couple of minutes or so but we eventually caught the damn tire. As me and Boone started to heft, we felt the ground tremble.

 _"Was that a quake?"_

It trembled again.

 _"I don't think so."_

Then it trembled again.

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

" _Did you feel that?"_

The water shook in the paw print.

 _"Mierda. That was an impact tremor."_

 _"I'm fairly alarmed here."_


	18. Chapter XVII: Midnight Chase

**Chapter XVII:**

 **Midnight Chase**

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

We ran like hell. As we did, the tremors in the ground increased in magnitude and frequency. It was close, we could feel it.

 _"Guys!"_ Veronica shouted at us when we came to view, _"There's something coming! We need to go now!"_

 _"No need to tell us twice, sister!"_ Cass called back as we tossed the tire back into the truck and we jumped in ourselves. The tremors were now indistinct from each other and now were increasing faster and faster. The thing was running.

" _Start the engine!"_ Raul screamed as he drew his Model 29's, _"get us el infierno out of here!"_

I turned the ignition and the engine stalled. I went for a second but more of the same. But on the third it roared to life. That's when we heard it: the grinding of metal scrapped across stone.

 _"Oh shit,"_ I whispered. Slowly we all turned. No one breathed. No one dared move. We were utterly stupefied into place. For half hidden in shadow and flanked by the cliff was the looming figure of a Deathclaw.

Massive would be an understatement. As it lumbered out; it rose on its hind legs to its full height of nearly twenty feet of black hide muscle and scaled carapaces. It was like a fucking demon from some kiddie's worst nightmare with long curved horns flanking piercing, putrid yellow eyes that cut through the night and a maw of sword like fangs that jutted out of its snout-like mouth like weathered tombstones. It approached slowly, cautiously; its tail dragging lightly through the sand with its knife-sized clawed paws held ready like a boxer in a coming ring fight. As discretely as I could manage my hand went for the stick.

Yet just as it touched metal it bellowed aloud and pointed one of its knife claws straight at me. It then waggled its finger and growled something that sounded like:

 _"Gruh uh uh."_

 _" Well pardner, "_ ED-E suddenly shot from his seat to face the looming beast, _" I gotta somethin' to say to yooouuuu! And that something is… "_ suddenly his bluegrass tune changed to a weathered man cursing at the top of his lungs, _"YEAH FUCK YOU TOO!"_

Then his laser went hot, the world went red and the Deathclaw screamed as it clutched its burning face.

 _" Run cowboy run! "_

 _"No fucking kidding!"_

I slammed the rover into drive and mashed the accelerator down to floor. The tires smoking in protest and ripping up the ground around us as I hit its max speed in seconds. I hit the road and we were around the bend. But then I felt the ground shake and I looked in the rear view mirror. My stomach dropped: it was chasing us; lurching and leaping on all fours!

And it was gaining on us!

 _"Shit!"_ Veronica screamed, _"Shit!"_

 _"Drive faster!"_ Raul hollered at me, panic rising in his voice. I screamed back, my bowls half way to giving out:

 _"This thing's not built for speed! I'm going its max pace!"_

 _"Keep us straight then,"_ Boone replied, somehow fucking calm despite of the fucking demon in flesh chasing us, _"we'll slow it down."_

 _"Que loco?!"_ Raul screamed, _"You seriously want to piss this thing off more?!"_

 _"No, I want to kill it. Aim for its legs."_

The air then crackled with the thunderous reports of Thirty-odd-Six and Forty Fours. But then I looked in the rearview mirror and I saw the thing dodging the bullets, leaping back and forth and somehow keeping pace! Even when one of Boone's hit in the shoulder it paid it exactly two seconds of mind before it was off to fucking chase us!

 _"Cass, gimme a gun!"_ Veronica called from the back.

 _"Ya didn't have one before!?"_

 _"Never mind that! Gimme a gun!"_

She tossed over her N-99, and Veronica started taking rolling potshots as the two others reloaded.

 _"Look out!"_

I turned back to the road to see a building directly in front of us.

 _"Oh shit! Hang on everybody!"_

I swerved the wheel, almost toppling us over as I just barely missed crashing us into a wrecked home.

 _"Pay attention ta the fuckin' road man!"_

 _"Sorry!"_

Then I heard a crash. I looked behind to see the Deathclaw practically bulldoze through the very same building we'd just avoid being pancaked into! It demolished it in a big cloud of fucking smoke!

" _Jesus Christ!"_

Then I saw something in its hands, and that something went flying! I hit the brakes and suddenly there was a giant boulder in front of us!

" _Jesus H. Christ!"_

 _"Fuckin' drive man!"_

I couldn't get around it though at this angle. I had to reverse first.

 _"I need a mag!"_ Veronica called. The thing was now twenty feet from us. Cass handed over a second clip. I put the thing in reverse. The tires hacked apart the ground and sent it flying as I drove past the boulder. Then I looked left and it was right there! It was fucking grinning at us! Then it raised its oversized gardenshear hand and slashed across the door, just barely missing my leg!

 _"Fuck you, you oversized goddamn lizard!"_

 _"Down!"_ Cass bellowed. I ducked, and the next thing I knew a shotgun blast went off over my head. My ears rang like a dinnerbell. The beast screamed. I looked back to the see it clutching its face.

Then it started chasing us again!

 _"Eat this!"_

The roar of a submachinegun went off as Boone opened up it. The sickening splatter of the bullets smashing into flesh meshed with its bellows of pain, but it just kept coming! It then leapt forward and slashed apart the back door!

 _"Piensa rapido, se rie!"_

He then emphasized his point by firing both .44's right into its face! An explosion of blood and bone splattered the back of the Rover. It howled in pain, but then came running after us screaming! It just wouldn't fucking give up!

" _Querido Dios! What will put this thing down!?"_

" _This will!"_

She had the M-79 in hand. She braced it against the door, adjusting the sights and taking a good ten seconds before sending a grenade its way. It impacted to the right and behind of the thing; missing it.

" _Shit,"_ she looked at me, and I knew what I needed to do. I slowed the Rover letting the thing get within thirty feet. With another second, it closed it to twenty.

" _Smile you son of a-"_

The M-79 went off. The grenade exploded right in front of the beast, throwing up a huge cloud of debris up and high. The beast was nowhere to be seen.

" _I think you got him."_

She slouched against the seat.

" _Good shot,"_ I complimented. She shook her head.

" _I was aiming for its head."_

* * *

 _"Joder! Joder! Puto infierno! Oh por el amor de mierda en un puto lago del joder Dios maldito!"_

 _"Well that certainly illustrates the diversity of the word."_

 _"You… I spent half a day on this damn vehicle. Now look at it! Todo roto de mierda!"_

 _"Yeah, well it could've been worse."_

 _"Your optimism is starting to annoy me, extrana. When I want to rant, I rant."_

 _"Hey, I like defusing timebombs. Though in your case I'd say more like lifebomb."_

 _"Puns! Puns! That is the extent of your humor!?"_

 _"What? No! I've got plenty more than that. I could probably do some stand up com—"_

 _"Por favor no. I'm not in the mood for half baked, lazily executed stories."_

 _"Sounds a little hypocritical, don't you think?"_

 _"Boone…"_

 _"He's the one with the tall tales about stealing women and shooting their men. Fair's fair."_

 _"Buen Dios, you two are killing me! Killing me!"_

 _"Oh brother."_

 _"Hey you okay?"_

I sighed as I let the smoke trail out into the night before I took another.

 _"I'm starting to get concerned."_

 _"Ya ain't the only one."_

She came over to stand by my side, peering out at what I was seeing ahead. There, no less than fifteen miles out by plains, hills and a ton of sand was the bright gleaming city of New Vegas. Or Las Vegas as Raul kept insisting on calling it. Against the backdrop of night, this one spec of civilization blurted out its defiance in neon yellows, pinks and reds that lured the many downtrodden onward like some perverse Venus Fly Trap. So when one looked at it, you would think it as one giant monotonous light show; all dazzling but as just one giant entity.

Nothing really should stand out right? Yet somehow this one single structure did. It was a single tower of platinum radiance that just seemed to outshine everything else.

 _"Like some mean old pepper shaker amongst bunch a salties."_

 _"Eh?"_

 _"Ah just something some jackass told me about the Lucky 38. You were lookin' at it, right?"_ I nodded, _"Stupid analogy, but hey it fits."_

 _"Yeah,"_ I nodded somberly before I took another blow, _"it does."_

She nudged me a little and I gave her a cig. And there we were, smoking away in perfect silence for a few minutes. A little peace for once.

 _"So what's on your mind?"_

 _"Benny. He's just that way,"_ I pointed off away to the right of the city, _"but it's not just him. I'm just thinking about all the crap I went through to get here. What we went through."_

 _"What, Deathclaw on the mind?"_ She chuckled. I just shook my head again.

 _"I'm starting to wonder if something just doesn't want me to get this greasy bastard. So they keep serving me bullshit along the way."_

 _"Oh c'mon Mr. Tin-foil-hat,"_ she laughed, _"ya ain't seriously telling me ya think some boogeyman is responsible for all this shit?"_

 _"How would you explain it then, Professor Cassidy?"_

 _"Quite simply, my young student,"_ she smirked smugly, _"shit just happens."_

 _"Well I'd wish it'd stop. I've had it to here and if I could I'd strangle the bastard who keeps pulling shenanigans on us."_

 _"I'm with you there. I'd give 'em ol' buckshot to the ass for good measure."_

 _"How about roast them over a spindle?"_

 _"Wait what? When did you become a cannibal on me?"_

 _"Nah it was Raul's idea. Though I do say you do look mighty tasty from over here, Ms. Rosy Cheeks."_

Playfully I reached my hands out to snatch her into the night. She mockingly giggled back:

 _"Oh no you don't Jerkface McGee!"_ she then swatted my hands away like a startled cat, _"You come near me with those filthy paws of your, I'll chop 'em off and wear them as a necklace!"_

 _"And little does she know that my hands are living!"_ I laughed as I butchered the Voodoo accent, _"Oh look! They grab at the living again!"_ This time I managed to grab her around the middle and hoisted her a foot or two into the air, _"Ha ha, they have a life of their own!"_

 _"Yeah well so do mine, oh crazy prince of the dead!"_ she startled me with a legitimate reenactment of that one broad in that one movie who got cozzied up with Dracula, _"And they demand payment!"_

Then my groin went into panic mode when I felt certain organs being grabbed and squeezed. With a voice utterly squeaky from the withheld pain I asked:

 _"Like what you feel?"_

 _"Really wanna push your luck, eh?"_ she smiled sadistically. I shrugged my shoulders.

 _"Well… no."_

 _"Good answer."_

Relief hit me when she let go. But when she did I immediately took the opportunity to grab her again and spin her in the air again laughing like a goon.

 _"You fucker!"_ she cackled, _"Let me go ya big bully!"_

 _"Never, my dear. I shall spin round and round 'till you pop and gah!"_

I tripped on a rock and stumbled, taking us both down the hill. Rolling over and up until we hit the ground with a thump. When I opened my eye, I found Cass tangle in my arms right over me. I smiled winningly when she came to.

 _"Well this feels convenient, don't you think?"_

 _"Well…"_

She never finished her sentence. I felt her body tense and relax as her eyes dotted over me until they settled on my one. They locked and I felt as though I was going to drown in those big icy pupils of hers as my mind swam a little. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came. Time or maybe just the awareness of it blurred till it seemed mute.

My body felt cold, but my heart pumped and beat like a jackrabbit. As she slowly began to inch closer and closer until out chests touched; I could feel the steady motor jugging away there too. She stared wide down at me as she sighed deeply and longingly; her breath smelling like whiskey and tobacco, but I didn't mind. Then I looked down to see that her shirt was open and I could see as far down as I wanted. She smiled slightly.

 _"Like what you see?"_

I didn't answer; I just smiled like the fool that I was when I looked back up. But when I did, I found she consumed my entire world. Her hair flopped around me as our noses touched and before long my entire world went wild. I closed my eye and allowed myself to take a back seat and let things carry on as they should. When we broke contact; I felt utter bliss flow through me like an overturned dam, and when I looked up at her again she never seemed more beautiful than now in this moment.

She smiled a smile I'd never seen before and in me my heart longed for her.

 _"Ms. Cassidy?"_

 _"Yes Mr. Maddox?"_

 _"Gideon!? Cass!? You guys down there?"_

I sighed annoyingly and we broke apart as I called back:

 _"Yeah we're down here!"_

 _"Yes,"_ it was Veronica grinning from ear to ear to the point my stomach felt as though it'd been stabbed violently, _"yes we can see that."_

Helping Cass to her feet we made our way to the top, where we found everybody waiting for us… well really just V and Raul. Veronica continued smiling manically with Raul holding her by the shoulder as he asked:

 _"What do you think carina? They a thing now?"_

 _"Oh I don't think so. Maybe a bit more—"_

 _"One more word,"_ I growled as I drew my blade for show, _"and I will gut both of you right here."_

 _"Oh scary!"_ Veronica mocked as she waved her hands at me. Then we heard a clunk and Cass had her scattergun opened and cradled in arm.

 _"Ya peeping shitheads. I outta blast y'all here fer spoiling our moment. Why I outta turn this into a slaughter house like I did back in Navarro."_

 _"Subject E: Diagnosis complete. Begin Recording."_

" _ED-E?"_ We turned to see him just floating there like he was in a trance, _"You okay buddy?"_

Then a voice; this tired weathered voice echoed from his speakers:

" _My name is Whitley. I'm a researcher at Adams Air Force Base."_

" _Adams Air Force Base?"_ Veronica asked in disbelief, _"But that's on the East Coast!"_

" _Until recently I was the head researcher for the Duraframe Reinforcement Project for the combat model eyebots."_

" _Espera un segundo, you're saying he crossed the country to get to here?"_

" _It would appear so."_

" _Bueno ahora estoy celosa."_

" _Eyebot duraframe subject E is both the prototype and the last functioning model in this test group. I was prepared to make several improvements to the machines; however by the order of Colonel Autumn all resources allocated with the project were transferred to the development of Hellfire Armor."_

" _Colonel Autumn? But he died years ago."_

" _Who is he?"_

" _As such I am sending this model to Navarro outpost_. _"_

Boone shook his head at this:

 _"We took that place years ago. He was sending him into a trap."_

" _If you are listening to this log from one of our outposts in Chicago, give this unit whatever repairs it needs to continue its journey,"_ then the speakers tone changed. It became… personal… urgent, almost like he was begging, _"Please take care of him. Our future… my hopes… all rest on his shoulders."_

Then suddenly ED-E started shaking and twirling in mid air like he was having a seizure. Then when he stabilized he blurted out:

 _" Whoa Whoaaaa! What the dang gawd just ought happened here? "_ then he turned to me, _" I'ma hopin' no one kissed me! I ain't no Snow White! "_

 _"Okay seriously,"_ Cass exclaimed, _"what the fuck is going on here?"_

I turned to Veronica:

 _"You seemed to have an idea. Care to share?"_

 _"It's a bit of a long story so I'll give you the cliffnotes version."_

 _" Well don't keep us all in suspense, oh lady lass! "_

 _"Wait, you don't understand what just happened either?"_

He shook his head. I provided the explanation:

 _"When I found him, he was badly shot up by heavy caliber slugs. More than likely he literally can't remember anything."_

 _"Just like you,"_ Cass pointed out. I shrugged and Veronica continued her tale:

 _"Thirty years ago, the Enclave tried to start Doomsday all over again. Short version is they failed. We kicked their asses,"_ she said this particular bit with a certain sense of pride before Boone cut in:

 _"We?"_

 _"Fine,"_ she replied annoyingly, _"the Brotherhood_ _and_ _NCR both kicked their asses out of New California. While most of them bought the farm, quite a few fled east to Washington, DC. So the Brotherhood sent one of our best, an Elder Lyons, to chase them down. Exactly four years ago they made contact with them and blew them to high heaven,"_ she emphasized this point by throwing a fast ball at the air, _"the guy who was running that particular group was a certain Colonel Augustus Autumn who caused quite a bit of ruckus before he finally got put down. But it was always rumored that a few special projects were still out there."_

" _Like someone like little ol' me? "_

She nodded.

" _But somethin' don't make sense to me. If our bot here is the only one of his kind, then why'd this Whitley guy send him out cross-country by his lonesome?"_

" _Desperation,"_ I answered, _"you heard that last bit at the end. Whitley clearly cared for him. So if the Brotherhood was knocking on your front door, you send him out the back and hope for the best."_

" _There's more to it than that,"_ Boone countered, _"Navarro was an advanced R &D facility that cost its worth in blood to take," _he then turned to Veronica, _"isn't it true that Eyebots could store large packets of data for long periods of time?"_

" _Wait you're saying…"_

" _Our friend here is a courier."_

I smiled lightly at this:

" _Looks like we have a few things in common buddy."_

I swore ED-E laughed at this, but then he echoed again his old country tunes:

" _Hope to pray that y'all don't go operation on me, Doc! "_

" _What? No! But I do need to ask the obvious: is what he's carrying dangerous, to us and him?"_

" _Well we only got this much from a code phrase,"_ Veronica answered, _"when Cass said Navarro. That must mean his databanks would be protected by military levels of encryption."_

" _And no doubt estos chicos installed failsafes just in case someone went poking around,"_ he then smiled at ED-E, _"Entonces no te preocupes pequeno, you're off the hook."_

ED-E then made a gesture and sound like he was wiping his brow in relief.

" _So what do we do then?"_

" _We wait,"_ Boone answered again, _"we wait and keep a double watch on him. Sooner or later someone is going to say the right thing and we'll get the rest."_

" _We got bigger problems,"_ Cass called over from the edge of the cliff, _"take a look at this."_

We ran over and we saw why.

 _"You gotta be kidding me!"_

Boulder City was burning from a dozen different hotspots that seemed to be popping up all over the place. Before I could even move, Boone grabbed me by my Pip-Boy.

 _"What are you doing?"_

 _"Accessing your radio. I can still tap into the Emergency Military Frequency."_

He spent a few seconds twisting dials and pushing buttons but before long a signal flared through:

 _"zzzt…All NCR military forces and civilians, this a general broadcast warning! Legion forces are attacking Boulder City checkpoint and all surrounding areas! We are receiving reports of raiding parties as far south as Camp Gulf. If you are in the area, please evacuate now. All NCR military personnel, please report to your posts and await further instructions. This message repeats."_

I then switched the Pip-Boy off and Cass chuckled lightly:

 _"What was it you said about someone sending bullshit our way?"_

 _"I told you,"_ I then turned to Boone, _"is there any chance these guys are here for the Khans?"_

 _"Last I heard they were allies, but not close enough for them to do something like this."_

 _"Could be coincidence?"_ V added, but Raul shook his head.

 _"These guys bumble in and these other guys show too?_ _Dios no tienen ese tipo de humor!"_

 _"The chip,"_ I whispered softly, _"they're after the chip."_

 _"Did you say something?"_

I took a long hard look at the city ahead and bared my teeth at it.

 _"Arm up. We're going in."_

* * *

 **Kowalski**

* * *

" _INCOMING!"_

The mortar shell blew apart the wall and I got buried beneath half of it. My breath was thrown out as rubble continued to slam into my back. Oh Jesus. I didn't want to move. I just wanted to lie there and hide under the debris until the shooting stopped.

But it didn't. My entire world was just one long loud noise. Goddamn. Goddamn. Is this what Jimmy felt like at Hoover?

" _Someone get Kowalski from under ther—gah! Fuck!"_

I felt strong hands pull me from under my arms and lift me back into the world. My mouth and eyes were wide open as my vision suddenly became blurry. I then felt my face get slapped and I refocused.

" _Hey! You okay!?"_

I turned to see Donny Smith standing over me. He started shaking me by my armor harness. Then suddenly he fell on top of me, blood running down his forehead. I felt utterly terrified, but somehow numb. If I hadn't shit my pants earlier, I would've done so now.

" _Kowalski!"_

" _Sarge!"_ I shouted as I pushed out from under Smith. I took a couple of seconds to—oh fuck. The back of his head was gone.

" _Get the fuck down!"_

Suddenly the entire side of the wall came alive as gunfire blasted through it. I dove to the ground. Where's my weapon!? I looked up to see Carter, our medic trying to bandage the Sarge's hand. Oh fuck. Are we the only ones left?

" _Kowalski! Stop gawking and pick up your weapon!"_

Then there was another mortar shell and another part of the roof caved in. I took cover. Fuck I wanna cry! Then I looked up to see Carter lying across the floor. A big piece of metal was sticking out of him! I ran over and tried to pull it out, but it just was too fucking slippery!

" _Oh God, oh God."_

" _Leave him he's dead! Grab your weapon! We need to move!"_

I nodded, panting as I did. I scrambled across the floor until I found my Service Rifle. I grabbed, my hands fumbling for the mag release as I changed it out for a fresh one. I ducked again as they started shooting at us again.

 _Get over here,_ he mouthed. I low crawled over to where he was. Oh fuck. Half his hand was missing.

" _Sarge… what are we—what…?"_

" _Hey listen me!"_ he grabbed me by my helmet and brought me over, _"We're gonna live alright! We're gonna get out of here! Now do you see that building?"_

He pointed over his shoulder and I looked past the wall to the ruined and smashed main street. But I could see what he was pointing at. There was an apartment building thirty feet away. Somehow it hadn't been blown to hell.

" _I'm gonna fire, and you run! When you reach it, you fire and I'll come to you! Do you understand?"_

" _Yes sir!"_

" _Alright go!"_

I picked myself up and run. I was out onto the streets. I could see bullets all around me, hitting the ground but somehow not hitting me. Then there was an explosion to my left and I hit the ground. My ears rang and I could barely see.

But I picked myself up again and just started running. I kept running and running until I hit a wall and I fell over. I looked up and saw an open doorway. I crawled in and then hugged against a wall as more bullets ripped apart the top just above me.

" _Okay… okay, I'm still alive. Alright let's do this!"_

I turned through the doorway, going prone as I started sending lead downrange. I didn't know what I was fucking shoot at, but I just kept shooting until I had to change out. I then called down to the end of the street:

" _Sarge, come on!"_

There was no response. Just more shooting between me and where he was. I popped a round in their direction and called again:

" _Sarge!"_

There was nothing. Oh fuck. I'm alone here.

" _Oh fuck… oh God please, please no."_

I heard a noise. Something clattered. I swung my weapon down the hallway.

" _Please God, please…"_

Only silence. I perked my ears open, listening to anything that might be moving. There was nothing. It was then that I realized that there was silence. I mean total silence.

They'd stopped shooting.

" _Why?"_

I peeked around the corner. Oh fuck. They were in the streets! At least six of the crimson bastards. I brought my weapon up but I didn't shoot.

I only had half a mag left.

" _Just turn around and go away,"_ I caught myself whispering, _"just—"_

They went into the building and started dragging out the bodies. No. No no no no, don't you fucking dare!

" _A message to the profligates."_

The Decanus took out a hammer and nails.

" _May Mars anoint them in blood and filth."_

They grabbed Sarge's corpse and held him against the wall.

" _YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!"_

I rose to my feet, switched the rifle to full auto and opened up on them. I screamed as I ripped apart the fucker with the hammer. His arm went flying and I sawed open the second one right behind him.

 _CLICK_

Oh fuck me.

" _Retribution!"_

I hit the ground and started crawling away as the opened fire on me. Oh shit, oh shit. The walls around me crumbled to pieces. I kept moving, kept running. I was at the street.

Oh fuck where am I going!? Suddenly more bullets were coming my way. I rolled forward and took off at a run. There was a door in front of me. I ran as fast as I could and I tackled it down to the ground.

" _Spumae terrae!"_

I spun and one of crimsons was in the doorway. He raised his machete and swung at me. I did the only thing I could think of. I raised my rifle and blocked the blade. The blade impacted and then slid down to the floor.

There was no thinking in what happened next. My training kicked in and I just went off of muscle memory. I swung my rifle and slammed the butt into his face, knocking him right back into the doorway.

" _Come on you shithead!"_

I charged, swinging my weapon again. Oh fuck, he ducked. Suddenly he grabbed my weapon by stock and barrel and then tackled me into the wall. Oh fuck my back. Suddenly I felt a knee in my gut and I almost dropped to the floor.

" _Just like the rest: weak and undisciplined."_

" _Yeah fuck you too!"_

I threw my weapon forward, hitting him in the face and then I followed up by slamming the butt across his head. He dropped to the floor. Fuck this prick, I ain't ready to die. I started smashing my weapon at anything in my path. I smashed at his face, his arms, his back.

Then suddenly I was on the floor. He hit me across the face and my head went spinning. My weapon went flying and I saw the glint of a knife. I threw my arms up like the Rangers taught us and caught his blade arm in a cross section. I then twisted over and his blade went into the floor.

I then threw a fast one at him, knocking him off me. I then swung over and I was ontop of him; slamming my fist over and over at him.

" _Fucking die!"_

" _You first."_

My hand went into the ground and I screamed in pain. Then I felt an elbow hit me across the cheek and was on the floor again. I turned and he was standing over me with a gun on my head.

" _May Charon receive—"_

Suddenly he was grabbed from behind and a knife slashed across his throat. He dropped to the floor. I looked up and there was a man standing over me, hidden in shadow.

" _You okay?"_

" _Who the fuck are you!?"_

He then dropped to his knee and the red beret of First Recon came into view.

" _Just a friend."_

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

" _Double tap them just to be sure."_

" _What's the point?"_

" _Trust me,"_ he gave the smarty pants a grim look, _"they have a habit of playing possum."_

" _How would you—"_

" _He's right,"_ Boone called, _"they'll take every opportunity to kill you. Never give them one."_

He was supporting a boy. There ain't no other way of describin' him, because that's exactly what he was. He couldn't have been more than eighteen. Hell, I can barely remember what I was like at his age. He had brown hair cut in a jarhead fashion and a face that was covered in blood.

And from the smell, I'd say he was due for a change in trousers soon.

" _Who's your friend?"_ Gideon asked. Boone shrugged.

" _Private Kowalski,"_ he answered shakily, shit this kid could do for a smoke and a shot, _"3_ _rd_ _Infantry, 2_ _nd_ _Company. Who are—"_

" _Just passer throughs, Private. Where's your commanding officer?"_

" _I—I don't—I don't have one. My squad they—"_

He pointed to the poor sonsabitches who bought it. I motioned over to Boone and I took the boy by the shoulder.

" _Hey kid's its okay. Yer safe now. Here, take some of this."_

I handed him my flask and he drank like a swindler 'bout to settle his affairs.

" _Not too much,"_ I soothed as I held the bottom down ta keep him from going overboard, _"feel better?"_

" _God, yeah. A lot better."_

I then heard Gideon talkin' to Boone.

" _So, what do you think?"_

" _Fairly standard raiding party. I'd say maybe fifty or so raiders like these guys. Those mortars though mean they brought along a support group."_

" _Which would mean at least five tubes, plus a handful to provide security?"_

How the hell would he know that?

" _Yeah,"_ Boone replied simply, _"From the distance and arcing, I'd say their somewhere in the city."_

" _Right. But first things first, we need to find the rest of the garrison here and dig in. Do you know who would be in charge here?"_

" _Lieutenant Monroe sir,"_ the kid answered, _"he and his guys are set up in the center of town. I can take you."_

" _Alright. Boone, you and me we'll take the kid and head the front. V and Raul, you guys stay in the middle and watch our flanks."_

" _Don't worry boss. Manejar esto como un Puñado de Dólares, eh?"_

" _What are you,"_ Veronica asked with a smile, _"The Man with no name?"_

"' _Were you gonna die alone?'"_ he smirked, doin' some grittier than nails impersonation, to which she rolled her eyes.

" _ED-E, I need you to do some recon. Just zoom ahead and take a look see. Do not under any circumstances start taking potshots at these guys. Just observe them and then head back."_

" _You can count on meeee! But gotta admit, you're spoiling my blue moon fun! "_

" _I'll take spoiling your fun over finding you a junkpile—"_

" _Again,"_ I added with a grin and he nodded.

"— _again. So don't do anything stupid, alright?"_

Then outta nowhere he tuned up this little mopy boy tune as he darted around the corner:

" _Yeah, okay."_

" _Cass, you take the rear and watch our asses."_

" _Gotcha Boss Man."_

" _Wait,"_ the kid called, _"I need to do something first."_

I helped him to his feet and he headed over to the bodies of his comrades. I walked over and I heard the tail end of what sounded like a prayer. He crossed himself, his buddies and then he took their dog tags, followed by a rifle and some mags.

" _You good kid?"_

" _Yeah. Let's go kill these fuckers."_

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

As we head down the street, me and Raul had taken the opportunity to equipped ourselves with some of the soldiers' spare rifles. I don't like guns, but I'm not a pussy (despite my gender, but you get what I mean) and right now fists were not the best choice. Besides, we were in the middle of an NCR trade checkpoint; which means a lot of guys stressed out of their minds and trigger happy. Last thing they and I need is them finding out my allegiances and taking potshots at me and not at the lunatics with machetes.

We advanced down the street in a tight military fashion, with Boone and Gideon in front with their silenced rifles (Boone picked one up for his back at Black Mountain) and Cass holding the back with that lever-action scattergun of hers. Everybody was tense, well tense is the wrong word, but everybody (including me) took their steps carefully, our weapons trained to shoot at a moment's notice. The very air felt cold and scared, almost frigid and in the distance we could hear the distant gunfire and explosions.

" _Bienvenido al infierno."_

He… he wasn't kidding. Four years ago, the Legion almost overran the NCR at Hoover Dam. They drove them past the Dam and ended up here. Thousands of the Roman copycat bastards marching and chanting like hooligans through these very same streets. Let me tell you though that the NCR, despite everything they do wrong, occasionally have moments of brilliance and this was one of them.

As they advanced, small pockets of snipers (I wonder if Boone was among them) started picking off squad leaders and officers (pretty easy to do considering the getups they wear) and threw the jerkwads into utter confusion. Then they blew up the town. Yes you heard me right. From what I heard they packed thousands of pounds of explosive in and around almost 2/3rd's of this town and then blew it to high heaven. Hundreds died from the explosion and the aftereffects… well you can see it here.

Every single building you could see was leveled. I don't just mean blown up or destroyed, I mean they were broken down to their foundation and all that was left was rubble. Some were just literally craters. Looking at this place… it reminded me years ago when I found a book on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the first human cities to be annihilated by the splitting of an atom. Desolation is the only word that comes to mind.

How man could do—Gideon held up his hand.

* * *

 **Kowalski**

* * *

Johnson. Oh God they got Johnson too. He was lying face down with—with a fucking spear in his back. These fucking savages. Well they ain't gonna nail his body up too.

" _Wait,"_ the one eyed guy said.

" _What for? He's dead and they're gone. Let me at least get his dogtag."_

" _Boone?"_

" _No chances."_

He suddenly raised his weapon on Johnsons body.

" _What the fuc—"_

He took a shot and suddenly his body exploded!

" _You—you fucking crimson monkeys!"_ I screamed.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _How did you know?"_ Veronica asked me, and I shrugged. Funny enough Raul provided an answer.

" _Pretty obvious, cariño. Grenade hidden under the body, I could see that from a mile out and I'm half blind. Aficionados, even the raiders down in Tucson, not Two Sun, could do that better."_

" _No doubt someone oughta heard that,"_ Cass called from the back, _"need to get a move on."_

" _Agreed. Keep moving. The last thing we need is the sky to come crashing down on us. Kid, take point."_

I can feel a half dozen pair of eyes on the back of my head and I don't blame them. This place is bringing back memories. Nothing like what hit me just a scant few days ago, but every once a view I see a flash and I'm in another city, another time, another war. The smell of cordite and charred wood choke my senses, the howling of wild dogs drown out my hearing and through the paved streets of some post-America big city I feel a river of blood wade in my boots. This place, this city, it's familiar but I can't place it but I can almost feel its venom in my veins.

I know thousands died there. I can feel the cold weight of their shattered bodies in my bones. And a few snapshots I see their carcasses clog tight the highways of the long gone; their uniforms and dress a telltale sign of their past allegiances. Some bearing the crimson cloth of the Legion, but these ones I remember especially. They're more ragged and torn, adorned with animal pets; hardened in their faces and hands. Instead of the traditional leather mish-mash gear most of these guys wear: they had Kevlar plates and each a bunch of knife sheaths rigged to their chests for all manner of blades.

They don't wear the horse hair sports or Kevlar helmets either: instead hollowed hide heads of mountain lions. Most of them carried regimented sawn-off shotguns, though every tenth man of the contubernium had the habit of carrying an M2 or M9 pattern flamethrower. Close in fighters, perfectly suited to urban combat. But the final clue came from their shields. Oh yes, these guys had shields, or at least every third or fourth man did.

They were old-world riot shields: long steel rectangles with a grilled port view and spray painted completely scarlet with an iron spiked umbo bolted to the center. But over and around that was the face of a ferocious cat with its teeth bared and on its forehead was the Roman numerals XIII.

" _In inferno autem non sequuntur,"_ I mumbled under my breath.

" _What'd you say?"_

" _Nothing. Let's keep moving."_

Then I looked up and saw a sign directly ahead of us.

 _Welcome to Denver! Home of the Rams!_

" _What the hell?"_

I closed my eye and the sign changed to:

 _Welcome to Boulder City! Home of H—_

The words Hoover Dam was shot out. Fucking memory lane; you'll be the death of me.

" _Hey ya folks! "_

ED-E suddenly zoomed in from around the corner.

" _Hey buddy; what'd you find?"_

* * *

 **Monroe**

* * *

This day just keeps getting better and better. First these goddamn Khans and now these Legion bastards. On top of that, I'd just lost contact with Sergeant Castellone and his squad out on the eastern fringes.

" _INCOMING!"_

I ducked my head as another mortar hit the outside wall and blew out a tiny storm right in our faces.

" _Everyone okay!?"_

" _Yeah!"_ Jackson called out. I nodded and started shooting at the pukes that were shooting at my men. They had us pinned down in the saloon building on three sides with shooters on the second floors and roofs. We were at an extreme tactical disadvantage. Not just in terms of position, but also in numbers and firepower.

I had twelve men here awaiting transfer, plus another six from Castellone's guys who were on the otherside of town awaiting transport to take them home, and now I was down to just three healthy shooters: Jackson, Carlos and Mackie. Jeff, my combat medic assigned from the 7th Support Corp, was in the back tending to both my wounded and the dozen or so scared as shit caravaners who'd been caught in crossfire. Two of my guys, Gilbert and Ackermen, who both been wounded but were still willing to fight were in the courtyard keeping the half dozen or so Khan fuckers pinned in their little snake hole. I took cover as a dozen shots hit my spot; stone, wood and concrete splintering off in finger sized fragments. I ducked out and fired back, taking single shots to try and conserve ammo.

Another problem weighed on my mind. We'd lost our long range transmitter, so we were cut off completely from Gulf and McCarran. All we had was our shortwaves and those were only good for maybe a couple of blocks at most here. The only plus side was that the saloon was built into two large caved in buildings, so they couldn't flank us. There was also a fifty yard open field between us and them, so they couldn't charge us and we had a damn wall of concrete rubble right in front of us.

That'd proved especially usefully earlier when they'd tried to use Bazookas to try and blast us out, but did shit against our cover. Now it was just a waiting game. How long would it take for the Calvary to show before the Indians killed us? I fired again, this time at a shadow moving across the rooftops. I put three rounds in him and he dropped all the way to the ground.

" _Got you, you sorry bastard."_

" _INCOMING!"_

Another mortar hit us, this time just in front of our position. These guys were getting better.

" _Everyone okay?"_

" _LT, I'm out!"_

" _Here my last mag!"_ I tossed it over to Carlos, _"Make it count! Helps coming soon!"_

No it wasn't. A lot of troops had been pulled out this month due to combat rotation, and freshies were being sent down to Forlorn Hope instead of Gulf or McCarran. We were on our own.

 _"crzzt…enant Mon—crzzt!"_

 _"What the hell?"_

I reached down to my shortwave.

 _"This is Lieutenant Monroe, 4_ _th_ _Infantry. Who's this, over?"_

 _"crzzt…enant—crzzt!"_

 _"Say again! I repeat say again you are coming scrambled! My signal is 93-oh-7, over."_

 _"Lieutenant Monroe, this is Sergeant Boone, First Recon. What's your status, over?"_

First Recon? Oh thank Christ. God, I take back everything I said about you.

 _"Sergeant Boone, my men are pinned down at the northwest corner at the Big Horn Saloon. We are surrounded by an unknown number of hostiles on three separate buildings. They have mortars and bazookas. I have a lot of wounded and scared shitless folk who could use an extraction, over."_

 _"Copy, LT. I am approaching your southwest with six friendlies. Private Kowalski is in company, over."_

 _"Kowalski? What happened to his squad."_

 _"All are KIA. I'm sorry."_

Castellone was a good man. I'd served with him when shit hit the fan at Hoover. I knew Kowalski's brother too. Jimmy gave his life to cover us when I was hit and they'd need to extract us out. So Jake'd joined up to do his brother proud. I'm glad he'll make it out tonight.

 _"Also be advised, we have a bunch of Khans pinned down in a northern building. We think the crimsons are here to extract them. They hit us right when we got them cornered, over."_

 _"Copy. LT, sit tight. We'll take out the party crashers. Out."_

* * *

 **Kowalski**

* * *

" _Well I'd say that kicks the original theory right out the window."_

" _They're not here for the Khans, V. They're here for Benny."_

" _The fuck that creep gotta do with them?"_

" _Simple. The chip. It's pretty clear to me that Victor works for House, and Victor hired me to transport it. So whatever it is, it's important enough that his employee would want to steal it."_

" _So the Legion would want it too?"_

" _Exactly."_

" _Ah the plot thickens! Oh la alegría!"_

What the fuck are they all talking about? Whatever.

" _Excuse me, but can we kindly get back to the matter of how we're gonna kill these jackasses?"_

" _How well you know this town, kid?"_ The One-Eye asked me.

I shrugged.

" _Well enough. I was here for about a day and half."_

" _Do you know where the Saloon is? Could you ID it on a map?"_

" _Sure I guess."_

" _Then you're our guide,"_ the First Recon said, _"come over. Gideon?"_

" _Yeah I got it. Everybody get in close."_

I crawled over and this guy had a damn Pip-Boy!

" _Are you from a Vault?"_

" _No, but one gave me his."_

He then it a few buttons and a giant layout map popped up. It took me a couple of seconds for me to get that it was of the town. He then pointed at a cross section of a half dozen so buildings.

" _This is us. They're northwest of us. I'm going to scroll up and when you see it stop me."_

I nodded and he started moving the map. A few second later, I spotted it.

" _Stop stop, right there!"_

It was a corner building, plus a plaza with three apartments.

 _"'bout half a mile out,"_ the red head replied, _"looks like we'll hit the first building here just as we go up. So what ya thinkin'? We ninja our way in and take 'em out one at a time?"_

 _"That'd be the safe route."_

 _"No it wouldn't."_

They all looked at the First Recon guy. I asked the obvious:

 _"Why's that?"_

He looked at me with eyes as cold as fucking ice. This guy's seen some heavy shit that I can tell.

 _"These crimsons are spread out over three buildings, and they got that firepower on all three. Me and Gideon are the only ones with silenced weapons. We hit them one at a time, they'll hit us back and we'll be in as much trouble as Monroe is out there. We need to hit them all at once, all at the same time."_

 _"Seven of us versus probably thirty or forty of them. Not odds I'd like."_

 _"When have the odds ever been in our favor? Plus it'll be more like fifteen or so versus two or three of us a piece. And we have the element of surprise."_

 _"Points taken. Okay here's the plan. We advance to the first target building here. We'll split off and take these guys in groups. Boone, you take the kid and Raul and hit the first building. I'll take V and hit the second. Cass you and ED-E take the last one."_

 _" Oh beauty! Me an' you gonna make some history! "_

 _"That sounds kinda kinky."_

 _" Ah you're a mighty embarrassing me! "_

" _Alright, ammo check and then we head out."_

God, please watch over me and them. Jimmy, I'm going to avenge you. This I promise.


	19. Chapter XVIII: Ten Thousand Bullets

**Chapter XVIII:**

 **Ten Thousand Bullets**

* * *

 **Benny**

* * *

I can't tell you how relieved I am to see even this glamorous shit of a city. But I am. For weeks I'd been tagging along with those uber testosterone ape men. Weeks spent twiddling through sand, the cold nights and atrocious selection for food. Stuff smelled like jet and tasted like coke.

Don't mind me having a party. Come to think of it, could use one. Have Swank get some elegant call girls from Phoenix Fire or hell even the Luxe. Get myself high on LSD and snort some of that white goodness off some broads beautiful knockers. Goddamn, I deserve it.

I passed through the outer gate. Place smelled like a sewer, and considering the live rounds of pigs and Brahmin running around you wouldn't be surprised. Freeside lay before me. It was ugly as usual; crumpling buildings and ragged looking people that could use a high rise for a week. But I can't deny it does have its appeal. Yellow, red and orange neon lights flooded the atmosphere; the streets chocked with midnight shops and markets: selling all kinds of food stuffs. I waded my way through the still sizable bunch milling in the streets, some oddling at my particular digs.

Started to get to the center of things. Place were starting to get adorned with jack-a-lanterns and spooky ghosts. Pumpkins burning bright like some kinda psycho trip. Hollow's Eve is tomorrow. Don't get why kids are into this crap, but guess they like spooky stuff.

More shops, more danky looking alleyways. Now there apartments and tenements. I shuffled to the side as some cute character pumped his garbage out a window.

 _"Got booze, woman and gambling! Come get some hot action boys at the Atomic Wrangler!"_

Call girls, too young for my taste. I like my girls mature and experienced. Makes the time more fine and worthy. I kept on running past. Now I was in the King Street.

Bunch a punks playing tough guy dress up tryna look like Elvis were about. When a couple gave me the stink eye, I drew Maria. They finked off and I kept on going. Man I shoulda taken Swanks offer for cardio. I feel like I'ma bout to fall over.

Can't stop though. I gotta make it home. Gotta get clear of the Bosses eyes and twiddling fingers. Passed by the Old Mormon Fort and their do-gooders. Passed by Mick and Ralphs convenience square.

A little further down was the Silver Rush and those Van Graff pyscho's. Add killing those unrespectable sods to my list of things to do. And there it was: the big giant gate separating me from my palace and my army of fine men with guns. Of course there'd be Securitrons there. Of course they'd try to stop me.

" _Chairman Reeves, Director House has ordered your detainment,"_ the big TV on wheels bellowed at me, _"surrender now and—"_

" _The big cheese can kiss my fine ass!"_ I shouted back at him before using the code I got from Yes Man, _"Echo 4 9 Charlie Oscar!"_

Then like magic the TV men went into shutdown mode. Wouldn't last long. Maybe thirty seconds but it'll last me long enough. I hit the lever and the gate opened for me. There before was the golden lights and warm sweet air of paradise.

Like the king on a white horse that I am, the whole world looked my way. Had me time, I would've bowed. But right now I gotta get to the Tops fore House sends more TV goonies after me. I sprinted past the glorious stuffs one could only dream of. I ran past the kingdom I wanted to reign on over.

The Heaven I wanna be Christ of. I ran on and on I felt like I was gonna puke. Then when I hit the high rock and dazzling lights of The Tops Casino and Hotel, I did. I threw out my lunch for a good minute. Ah shit, I got some of it on my pants.

" _Chairman Reeves, do not move!"_

More of 'em were rolling after me. I got up and ran. I heard the retracked motors of their guns unlocking.

" _Lethal force is authorized."_

The twin glass doors to my glass palace lay before me. Goddamn it, why were they closed!? Ah screw it.

" _Geronimo!"_

I tackled through them. I felt glass bite through my clothes. Could see my blood on the floor. But I didn't care. I got up and kept running.

" _Benny! You're back! Where—"_

" _Oh for fuck's sake, Swank! Get some boys and don't let those tin cans get in here! And open my private elevator!"_

About a half dozen of my Triggermen with really big guns ran past me as I ran past the glammer of my kingdom. There was the elevator. There it was. Please God or Gods don't screw me now. The doors opened and I jumped on through.

I banged my head on the wall but I didn't care. As the doors closed, I started laughing. Laughing loud and manic like a big rubber faced clown. I'd done it! I'd actually done it!

I'd beat the great and powerful, the all mighty and all knowing Robert Fucking House! From my torn jacket I pulled out the Platinum Chip and spun it in my fingers.

" _You sir have cost me a lot. But I know you were a lovely investment, darling."_

The doors opened and red carpets with platinum walls showed themselves to me. I got up and strolled out like the cool cat I was. I'd won. I was safe now. I could take some leisure.

Walked on and on, passing so many doors till I got to the one. I popped open my key, and unlocked the door. After I closed it, the lights kicked on. I was never happier to see my suite. As I walked, I took off my clothes and tossed them away as I stepped into the bathroom.

" _Shower, hot water but not too hot."_

Steam bubbled from my private cleansing. I stepped in and let the liquid goddess do her work on me. Blood, mud, grime and probably shit swam away from me and down the drain. Minutes later, I stepped out and found Yes Man waiting for me. Normally I'd give him an earful for stepping in on my baby suit, but right now I'm just too happy to be breathing.

" _Hello good sir!"_ his creepy child optimism echoed, _"Have you accomplished your mission?"_

I smiled at his smiling TV box face and procured the chip.

" _How long till you can decode what's on it?"_

" _A day at most. I'll get started right away!"_

" _Good, and tell Swank to send me the usual lasses from Phoenix. I need a woman's touch right now. And after that, tell him I'll tell him everything once he brings me that 1948 Che'laret he's kept from me. 'Tis time to celebrate 'cause soon… well, shah mat."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

Under the cover of the night we hit the street. I was in front, Boone directly behind me followed by Raul, Kowalski, Veronica and Cass covering our six. Just ahead was ED-E who was keeping a silent vigil over the overlapping streets. We hit the corner, and I poked my head out to see him coming our way.

" _See anymore patrols, buddy?"_

He shook his head and zoomed back down to the end of the street. Quickly, with weapons covering every possible angle we trotted down to the next corner. My eye kept shifting from what was in front of me, to the Sensorium and then to the ruins of this dead city. Over a thousand dead bodies call this place home. I do not plan to join them.

For the past couple of blocks the roar of gunfire and explosions were distant, but getting louder with every stepped forward. Now we could feel the vibrations in our boots.

" _Getting warm,"_ Boone whispered at my elbow. Raul silently chuckled:

" _Gonna need que llamar al departamento de bomberos."_

" _More like a divine intervention for a place like this,"_ I replied. Though if things got as bad as I thought it would, I just might get it. I poked my head around the broken wall and there it was. The trio of three story apartment building surrounding the one. We could see the muzzle flashes to and from the buildings, the exhaust of mortars arching high, the loud _whoosh_ of rockets and the arching explosives as they hit their targets.

Jesus, I'm surprised the bar hasn't imploded from the damnable weight of shrapnel being thrown at it.

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

Gideon called for a halt and I saw why. Exactly 50 yards ahead was our target building. He waved his hand and we all huddled back together.

" _Alright, here's the gameplan."_

" _Futbol mucho?"_

He gave him a death glare and he slinked back. He then continued.

" _A raiding party this size would mean at least 30 or 40 legionaries, but also counting in the mortars and rockets it would bump it up to 50 or 60. That translates to at least 20 per building."_

I picked up the briefing:

" _The apartments are three stories each. The Crimsons will be stationed on the last two and the mortars would need to be on the roof."_

Then Cass added in:

" _But these guys ain't stupid. They'll have sentries on the bottom floor."_

I nodded.

" _Count on at least 5."_

" _That means we need to take them out each quietly,"_ Gideon continued, _"if even one gets a warning out, we'll have the rest down on our heads. Now me and Boone are the only ones with silent weapons. Do not under circumstances fire your weapons."_

" _So what are we supposed to do?"_ Kowalski snorted, _"Use harsh language?"_

" _No joven tonto, you use this."_

He then smacked him lightly on the head with the butt of his pistol.

" _Ow!"_

" _And you use this."_

I plucked his combat knife from his belt sheath.

" _I didn't get much training on hand to hand,"_ Kowalski mumbled. I nodded.

" _Sneak up from behind, stab them in the neck, through the spinal cord and then twist. Extract cleanly. If you can't, slit their throats."_

I demonstrated each maneuver with his weapon before I returned it to him. He nodded somberly:

" _Okay. I can do this."_

" _Hey if worst comes to worst, we'll use your buen cuerpo joven as a shield! Relax, I'm follando con usted."_

" _Alright,"_ Gideon concluded, _"we'll go our separate ways here. We go on five, understood?"_

* * *

 **Kowalski**

* * *

I'm not gonna lie. I'm fucking scared shitless. I don't wanna be here; I wanna be back home in Redding: with ma and sis. But I can't, not while these bastards are here shooting at Monroe and his guys. I'm going to make them pay; for what they did to Jimmy, to Sarge and the rest of the guys.

God, I swear I'm going to avenge them all.

" _Alright let's move out."_

I nodded and followed Boone out; my weapon shouldered at a proper 45 as we trotted to the dark looming building ahead. The Ghoul was close behind me; his Service Rifle at the ready. The guy kind of freaks me out. I've seen other Ghouls before, but this guy… I dunno, but there just seems to be something off about him. He seems a little… nutty. I really hope this guy doesn't shoot me in the back.

We dived under the cover of a fallen house thrown into a giant crater. Jesus, they weren't kidding when they said they blew this town to shit. I peeked out under the steel graters and I could see the back door about 50 feet out.

" _Alright, we'll take this one at a time. I'll go—"_

" _No,"_ The Ghoul interrupted, _"I'll go first. You keep me covered, Senior Tirofijo. You've got the long barrel and I don't trust mine or El Nino's accuracy at this range, and I mean no offense by that, kid."_

" _None taken, I'm not a good shot."_

" _When I hit the wall, we'll send him after, then you."_

" _Okay, that sounds like a plan,"_ Boone replied. He then signaled me and I got my weapon up to cover the building. Jeez, that's a lot of windows.

" _Go."_

The Ghoul then scurried out from cover. He low trotted first to a rusty old car, stopped, peeked around, then moved up to low ditch with a drain pipe. He popped his head out, looked around again, then rolled out and started crawling the rest of the way until he hit the building about twenty seconds later.

" _Wow, guy knows his stuff."_

" _He's had two hundred years. Now you."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I'd had the advantage of V having night and thermal vision in her helmet. She scanned the rooftops and windows.

" _Not seeing anybody up there. Should be clear."_

" _V, I'm getting jealous of that suit."_

" _Hey, if somewhere along the way we pick up an exact copy, you'll be the first to get it."_

" _Ah, thanks,"_ I replied with a smile, _"okay we move together. Stay close behind me."_

" _Uh shouldn't I be in front? I'm after all bulletproof."_

" _That's a good point. You go first."_

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

We hit the building. This place is givin' me some messed up vibes. The door was left ajar. I drew my knife and got ready.

" _Okay Disco, I'll open the door and you zoom in nice and quiet like. We take these rooms one at a time and we nail these bastards 'fore they nail us."_

He nodded.

" _Okay, let's get some badguys."_

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

We went through the door. I had hunter out and ready, scanning for targets as we moved in. Directly ahead of us were a hallway with six doors, three on either side and two more splitting off on the right and left. I advanced slowly, taking every step with the upmost care. I signaled left and Kowalski swung over to cover the door.

I looked right and saw Raul close behind. He signed:

 _You, me, walk over there?_

He pointed to the end of hallway. I nodded and then signed back:

 _Turn around and go to each door._

 _Okay. Watch floor._

 _Why?_

He put his fingers together, pulled them apart and then made an explosion sign.

 _Boobytraps?_

He nodded.

 _I go left. You go right. Keep a—_ I pulled my arms apart— _distance behind._

 _Okay._

I turned to Kowalski.

 _Stay here. Cover._

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

We were in somekind of lobby with multiple rooms full of tables and weights. I looked left and spotted what looked like some indoor pool. Ahead of us was stairs going up and the reception desk to our immediate left past the corner. V had taken point. Normally I would have the Sensorium out, but the thing makes a low beeping noise anytime it picks something up and I didn't know how to shut it off.

So instead we were going to use V's supersuit to give us an early warning. She paced the wall very slowly, only peeking her head out the inches need to look around the corner. She quickly darted back.

 _I see three._

 _Where?_

 _Front, left, close left._

 _How close?_

She then signed going up, left turning and seeing him there. I nodded.

 _I saw, hallway, left, back there. You stay. I go._

 _Okay. Watch your—_ she patted her rear. I smiled:

 _You too._

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

We'd checked a bunch of rooms back there. I had to cover my mouth with my bandana from the amount of fuckin' dust left over. Saw a couple skeletons in 'em too. Harsh way to go out. We'd gone a few more feet when suddenly I heard footsteps.

We quickly darted back in one of the rooms as one of the Crimsons came down the hallway. He stopped and started walking slower. Must've saw the open doors. Goddamn it that was stupid of me. I pointed to ED-E and then pointed at a closet behind him.

 _Get in there and hide,_ I mouthed. He spooky like zipped in and hid under the clothes. I hid behind the door. Fucker's steps were getting slower now. Then he stopped.

I dropped down to the floor and I could see his boots just in front of my room. I could see his shadow moving left and right. He then turned my right and went into the other room. I tippy toed around, looked down the hallway ta see if he had buddies. Fucker was alone.

I drew my knife and got up very slowly. He was in the other room, poking his nose through there, had his back turned to me. Then he started sneezin' like his head was gonna blow. I made my move, runnin' over to him. He turned, his weapon turnin'.

His eyes went wide. My knife went high, his gun was on me. I felt the sickening blow as it went into his head. My hand grabbed his pistol as it did, pulling it away from him as he fell. His eyes went dead and I let him drop.

I flinched when it made a _thump._ I whipped around the corner, 'specting more ta be comin' my way. But nothin' did. I wiped my brow and ED-E came out, checking the corner.

" _One down, 19 ta go."_

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

We checked the last room, and like the others found it empty. We headed back to the hallway. Then Raul went back into the room.

" _What's he doin'?"_ Kowalski whispered. I held up my finger. A few seconds later he came back with plastic bottles and some tape.

 _What, for?_

 _Make, rifle, quiet._

I raised my eyebrow. He took his rifle and stuffed the bottle onto the end of the barrel, then wrapped heavy tape around it until it was snug.

 _Block, air, coming out of—_ pointed to the barrel— _make silent. Only one._

 _One what?_ Kowalski mouthed. He imitated firing. He then took his weapon and then did the same thing to it. I nodded and we head down to the hallway. The one on the right was just a fire escape, so we head left. Then I felt Raul grab me.

 _What?_

 _Look down._

I didn't see anything, but I froze anyway.

 _Tripwire._

 _Shit._

He then crouched forward and took out a wirecutter. A second later I heard something snip. I then ran his hand along a length that I couldn't see until he came to a hole in the wall. I reach his hand in and yanked out a can. There was a grenade tapped inside it.

 _How, you, see?_

 _See, better at, night._

I smiled slightly.

 _You take point._

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I was ninjaing my way down the hallway when the door just in front of me opened. A Legionary stepped through. I put a round to the back of his neck and caught him as he was falling. I looked inside to see it was a bathroom, so I stuffed him back inside and shut the door very quietly. There was a second door just 10 feet down.

This one was marked _"Ladies"._ I brushed up against the wall and waited. About a minute later there was movement inside. Ten seconds later the door opened, and my weapon was in the guys face.

" _Sorry,"_ I whispered, _"Forgot to knock."_

 _POP_

He dropped back onto the toilet, the wall splattered red. I closed the door and just for shits and giggles put an _Occupied_ sign on the handle.

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

One of the guys from the front started moving from his seat and was coming my way. I ducked back and hugged the wall as best as I could. My armor was largely gray and black (I'd taken off the robe a bit back), so I hoped I could blend in with the darkness. This cat came around with a lever-action, peering down the hall. I completely froze, not daring to make a sound.

Even with the gun fire upstairs I knew that if this guy got a round off it would alert the others. I could take these cosplaying rapists, but it would also alert the rest in the other buildings and the rest of the guys (and one gal) would be in trouble. Then he looked right at me. I glared at from behind the mask; studying his green outline for any funny business. He shrugged and walked past me.

I let him get five feet before I spun. My hand went to his mouth and I twisted. His head came off in my hands.

" _Oops."_

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

There were three more of the bastards. These guys were clearly lookin' fer their buddy cause they had their guns and sharp sticks drawn. I saw 'em pass by the hallway down from me. I'd hidden the Crimson in a closet and shut all doors on the way in. It'd take 'em a bit to find him, so I had an idea.

I'd let them find the body. They'd search the rest of the place, and come back to here. Me an' Discoball would be waitin' fer 'em.

* * *

 **Kowalski**

* * *

This Ghoul must have some kind of freaky nuclear superpowers or something, cause he'd spotted three more of the damn tripwires in the past two minutes. This place is so goddamn dark I can barely see a thing, let alone a really thin fucking wire. I'd spent the majority of the time covering these two from the back or when ever they'd clear a room. I'd honestly didn't mind. These guys moved like pros and I didn't want to get in their way.

They were checking a final room when I heard footsteps coming our way. I spun and he was at the fucking end! He saw me. He was raising his weapon. I didn't even feel the trigger moving or the recoil in my shoulder.

First he was upright, then there was a loud _pop_ and he was on the floor with his brains and whatever else spattered against the wall.

 _Oh shit, oh shit,_ I mouthed. Then I felt a hand grab my shoulder and I was pulled back into the room. Boone and the Ghoul had their weapons on the hallway for a good thirty seconds. Then they looked at each other and Boone stepped through the doorway. The Ghoul followed, and about a minute later they came back with the body.

" _Guess he was alone?"_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

After about another minute of checking doors, creeping through the shadows, and freezing everytime I heard rats scuttling in the dark, I'd finally swung round to the other side of the of the lobby. The last two jokers were still sitting in the front entrance; sharpening their knives and loading their guns. The third guy (who Veronica had described as being just around the corner) wasn't there. Instead there was just an empty chair. I pondered my options.

I couldn't take these guys both out by myself. I drop one and the other would notice, maybe get a shot off or call out for help. But then a few seconds later I didn't need to. The black silhouette of V's armor poked around the corner.

 _You okay?_

 _Yeah._

She then pointed at the last two sentries. I nodded:

 _You, right guy. Me, left guy. You—_

She interrupted my speech by smacking the air a couple times with—a head?

 _Chair guy, I—_ she imitated breaking his neck— _too hard—_ she held up the head.

 _Holy shit,_ I mouthed.

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

Holy shit indeed. I didn't mean to take his whole head off! He then shook his head and then pointed at the bad guys. I nodded. I crept up behind my guy, Gideon behind his.

He drew his combat knife.

 _On three. One… two… three._

I lurched forward and slammed his stupid head right into the wall once and then twice. Gideon grabbed his guy and tossed him over. I'd expected him to go for his throat but instead he performed a coup de grace: stabbing his blade right through his heart before extracting and finishing him off with a blow to the back of the neck. It was smooth and calculated; without even an impulse of hesitation. Gideon's been clearly trained just like me and just like Boone.

But by who?

 _You good?_

I nodded.

 _Let's go upstairs._

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

Me and the Bot were waitin' fer a good minute or two when finally we heard boots on the creaky wood. Only way to get upstairs was through us. I was hiding in one room, Disco in the other across from me. I clutched the knife tight in my hand, my heart beatin' like I'd been goin' twelve rounds a vodka knives. I kept my breathin' as normal as I could but goddamn the tension is killing me.

Now they were just at the corner. Then they stopped. Come on, ya stupid pricks. Keep on comin'. Now I could hear 'em in front of me.

First guy passed, then the second. Now the third. Just as he passed the door, I opened it wide and buried my knife in his fuckin' skull.

" _What the—"_

Then the Bot shot from the room. I ducked as he slammed into the first guy, knocking him over 'fore he broadside the third to the ground. I grabbed one of their knives and went to work on both. When all was over I grabbed my flask and downed a couple gulps before I put it away.

" _Nice job Dis…er,"_ ah what the hell, _"ED-E."_

He actually chuckled and then looked like he took a fuckin' bow. I had to restrain myself from laughing at that.

" _Okay,"_ I whispered, _"let's go kick the rest of their asses."_

" _With pleasure,"_ ED-E whispered back.

" _When did you learn how ta talk?"_

"— _Sunny boy."_

Then I got it. He was playin' Bogart in that one flick. Good taste all 'round.

* * *

 **Kowalski**

* * *

There was one final room up ahead. Boone and the Ghoul were about to clear it when he pulled on his shoulder and pointed. I crept up and saw why. There were three of the bastards in a room down the hall. They had candle lights lit watching the front.

The Ghoul then signed at Boone. He nodded and went to watch the door. The Ghoul then pointed at me and then at the last room. I nodded and I got in position. I got my knife out.

He opened the door and there was a loud _click._

" _Mierda! Get down!"_

Then he grabbed me and we went flying. Then there was a loud boom and everything went dark.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

We felt the explosion rock the stairwell. This one was a lot closer than the previous ones and we could hear them going nuts upstairs.

" _Well so much for subtlety."_

" _I was getting bored anyway! Let's punch some jerkfaces in."_

" _Marcus! Atticus! Referre velim vos!"_

 _"_ _Vos invenire eum!"_

" _Two are coming down."_

" _Okay here we go."_

V quickly took point, putting aside her weapon as I drew Parabellum. A few seconds later these guys came running. Suddenly Veronica reached around and grabbed the first guy; tossing him down the stairs! As she brushed past me I round the corner and slammed my blade right between the unlucky bastard's eyes. I then drew Lowlight and went up the foot of the stairs.

When I round the corner there was another at a doorway. I dove back as he fired a burst from an SMG: shredding apart where I'd been standing less than second earlier. I drew the grenade from my pouch, pulling the pin and cooking it for exactly two second before I tossed it. It hit the wall and bounced around the corner. I then jumped from the stairwell and ironically running into V as the upstairs went out with a bang.

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

My head was spinning. My ears ringing. I couldn't see. I tried to get up but I felt too nauseous. I fell and my jaw hurt doing so.

I gritted my teeth and tried to get up. I looked up and saw a gun barrel in my face. I followed it up until I saw the crimson uniform.

 _"Carla… Ben… I'll be seeing you soon."_

Then his head exploded. Then I saw something green fly over me. I looked down the hall and at a funeral pace the other two crimsons at the end were literally ripped apart. Limps went flying. Chests burst and a head lost its mind.

Then time went back to normal and they fell to the floor. With smoking pistols, Raul rose to his feet.

 _"Gracias a Dios por el Tiempo Bala."_

He then looked down at me and cocked a grin.

 _"Not your time yet, mandibula de cincel. On your feet."_

Then we heard the sound of boots coming down the stairs.

 _"Hold on a second."_

He then spun and fired both magnums directly into the wall until they went dry. About 9 separate fist sized holes decorated it. Then a series of bodies fell down to the foot of the steps.

 _"Okay, now on your feet."_

He reached a hand down and I took it.

 _"Hey Kid! Tu bien?"_

Kowalski came around the corner, blood coming from his ears.

 _"What!?"_

 _"I'll take that as a yes!"_

I rose on shaky legs and drew the MPL.

 _"Let's go to work."_

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

We were on the stairs goin' up when I felt a big 'ole tremor in the floor. From the rhythm of the shock and the length it lasted; my guess was a grenade. Then about thirty seconds later there was another one, this time much closer and much stronger.

 _"Gid, whacha got yerself into this time?"_

I heard movement directly ahead of me. I went to the wall, ED-E close behind me. I held up my fingers, counted down to three and then spun round the corner. I fired both barrels off the moment I saw crimson, flooring the first guy in front.

" _You can run on for a long time! "_

Suddenly ED-E zoomed in front of me.

 _" Run on for a long time! "_

They started shootin', he started whipping about blockin' the shots.

 _" Sooner or later, gotta cut you down! "_

The world went red and the guy went on fire!

 _"_ _Sooner or later, God's gonna- "_

He then vaporized the third!

 _" Cut you down! "_

More jackasses came screamin' out and I unslung my Lever-Action.

 _" Go tell that long tongue liar! "_

As ED-E covered me, I started firing away at 'em.

 _" Go and tell that midnight rider! "_

One came out from my right. I swung round and delivered a one-and-two ta the face.I heard more rounds pinging off ED-E's armor and the loud _whoosh_ of his laser followed by the burnin' dead. Suddenly some bastard tossed a big damn net at ED-E. I heard the clank of metal weights and now three of 'em came out. I unloaded on the first two, but the third came at me with a machete.

I ducked to the side as the fucker took a swing at me. I backed a couple of steps up and he advanced on me. He licked his fucking lips, his eyes tellin' me right off what he had planned for me. At this distance, he'd skewer me 'fore I'd get my 10mm. I was gonna have ta play this game out.

 _"Come on then, shithead,"_ I laughed, _"and let's see if yer man 'nough."_

He snarled and took a swing. I ducked sideways, and then hit 'em over the head clubend first. He dropped back and I then knocked his big boy knife away.

 _"Bitch!"_

 _"Ass-face!"_

Then he tackled me and I hit the floor hard. Things went white then black then I had this disgusting lookin' face droolin' over mine.

 _"I'm gonna take my time with you, slave!"_

 _"Fuck you!"_

I reached my hand fer the 10mm, but he then grabbed it and tossed it aside. His hand then went to my throat. My vision started goin' blurry and breathin' went out too. Then I felt him startin' ta unbutton my shirt.

 _"Such a fine body. A little old for my taste, but I'll enjoy you either way."_

 _"Who…you…callin'…old!?"_

I then slammed my knee into his groin. He went slack and pale. I reached over to the Winchester and I smacked him over the head. Then I rolled him over and grabbed the 10mm and had him drawn. At this point I wanted ta unload on this prick, but I knew he was gonna have buddies.

I put one to his chest, and ran over to ED-E. I pulled out my knife and slit the net. He then rose and zoomed over to where my would-be-rapist was lyin'. He didn't have long. He was already chokin' on his own blood. Then ED-E growled:

 _"I got somethin' special fer you, Charlie Brown!"_

Then he fired and the bastard was on fire! His screams—I can't possibly describe them. Creepily, ED-E chuckled:

 _"Writhe little man. Writhe."_

Then I heard more boots comin' down the stairs.

" _Tell the Rambler- "_

I slung over the Thumper.

" _The Gambler- "_

Seconds later six more came out and one was holding a bazooka.

" _That Backbiter- "_

They may have the better hand.

" _Tell 'em that God's gonna— "_

But I got the faster draw.

 _" Cut 'em down! "_

* * *

 **Kowalski**

* * *

" _Feel that?"_

 _"Yup. To our right. Too distant for Gideon's party."_

 _"Heh, our little pirotecnia been busy."_

I kept my rifle trained on the stairwell. About a minute prior we'd tried to go through there, but they opened up on us almost immediately and almost cut us to fucking pieces. So the Ghoul had this really, Brahmin-shit crazy idea. Directly to the right of the stairwell was another room. By his guess it was right underneath the hallway above us.

 _"No way in El Infierno we'll get through there. So I propose we take this grenade here, put it right here,"_ he pointed up to the roof, _"pull the pin and blow a hole up their collective culos!"_

 _"And then what?"_ I asked. Boone had the answer.

 _"There's still the fire escape back there. We blow them here and come up that way."_

 _"Cierto, pero they may be ready for us by then."_

That's when I threw my own sense of crazy into the mix.

 _"We secure it up there, and we tie a string to the pin,"_ I pulled out a piece of survival cord I'd found a while back that ran about 12 feet, _"we get the fire escape ready, then blow it."_

 _"That—that sounds asomborso! Where did you get that idea from?"_

 _"I—I just kinda thought of it."_

 _"Well from hence forth it shall be known as the Crazy Walski!"_

I had to laugh at that. That was actually kinda funny.

 _"Alright, let's put it to work."_

 _"Ah pero primero,"_ he knew reached around to the bedside cupboard and pulled out three bottles of Tequila along with three pieces of torn sheets, _"whose up for some química?"_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

 _"Well that's a problem."_

The entire stairwell had completely caved in. Which meant they couldn't get out, but we couldn't get in.

 _"I believe that's called a stalemate, V."_

 _"You play Chess?"_

 _"A while back. So got any ideas?"_

 _"Um… wait does your Pip-Boy have access to local maps and diagrams?"_

 _"Yeah it should, why?"_

 _"See if you can pull one up for this building."_

 _"Hold on."_

I hit a few buttons, transferred over to _Maps_. It showed where I was in the county, so I then went to _Local_ , which brought up Boulder City. I then hit _Current Location_ , and we had our diagram.

 _"Sim Sim Salabim!"_ I chuckled.

 _"Go get a Turban and a tan and then we'll talk, Hadji."_

 _"What? I always thought myself as Race!"_

 _"Well I've got some dye if you want it then, oh Army-of-One!"_

 _"Don't touch my hair. Okay so what are you looking for?"_

 _"Here let me see."_

And for the second time this night, my left hand got manhandled. Then she pointed at something on the screen.

 _"There a service elevator."_

 _"No power, remember?"_

 _"True, but service elevators have emergency ladders. They wouldn't be expecting it."_

 _"Alright, but let's go up to the third floor and work our way down."_

 _"That sounds like a plan."_

* * *

 **Kowalski**

* * *

" _Ready, tu dos?"_

 _"As ready as I'll be,"_ I replied. I turned to Boone and he nodded.

 _"Pull the string."_

I gave it a tug and I heard metal hit the floor.

 _"Start running!"_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _Wow, that's taller than I thought it would be."_

 _"Heights are deceiving."_

 _"Got that right. Need a boost?"_

She laughed. Suddenly she leapt straight up through the trap door and with a dull _thump_ was ontop of the elevator. She then reached a hand down.

 _"Come on, lightweight."_

 _"Yeah sure thing, Tin Tin,"_ I chuckled back as I took it. And then like she was picking up a grocery bag she hoisted me up through the elevator and I was standing next to her.

 _"You were able to benchpress a motorcycle so I guess I shouldn't be surprised."_

 _"Don't be so jelly."_

 _"Oh shut up, Tweety."_

I then descended the ladder, with V close behind.

 _"Tweety?"_ she whispered in exclamation, _"Tweety!? In this outfit?"_

 _"Yeah,"_ I grunted back, _"and Boone's Sylvester."_

 _"Oh that's just not right."_

 _"Don't mean it ain't."_

About a minute later we were at the very top and now had a very big door in our way.

 _"Care to do the honors?"_

 _"Thought you would never ask."_

At this point it was going to be largely pointless to be going silent, so I tucked Lowlight away and had my .45's out and ready to rock. Veronica grabbed the door by both hands and started to pull them apart.

 _"Knock Knock—"_

" _By Mars—"_

 _"Room Service!"_

I then sprung out from the door and opened up on the first Stovepipe wielding bastard in sight. My .45's rang out like echoes of piano keys as I blasted off limbs and then a head.

 _"Choo Choo, here comes the Pain train—gah!"_

Suddenly there was a thunderous vibration and the floor caved in. Veronica fell through and almost took me along for the ride. I grabbed onto an open door way and hoisted myself in. No sooner than I did than more these clowns came to punch my ticket. Under the rain of fire I rolled across the hallway and knocked down a door.

 _"Uti pellentsque!"_

Firestick? Oh shit. I got up and ran, tackling down a door as the room behind went out the window. The blast knocked me on the door and I went sliding first through a kitchen, across a dining table and then finally in the middle of a living room…full of grinning pale skeletons watching a destroyed TV.

 _"Goddamn it, America,"_ I groaned as I got up. I heard them coming and I spun with my guns drawn. I didn't bother waiting for them to come through. I just proceeded to shoot straight through the plaster walls. I emptied both mags into 'em, and then I drew That Gun.

I knew that they'd try the whole Bazooka to the face routine again, so I decided to take my chances China Town Style instead of going out like Jim Bowie (much as I admire the man). I dived through the doorway, firing off a round down the adjacent doorway and hitting some schmuck square in the chest as I rolled in a big whole whiteout of dust. Visibility went to nill as did any sense of breathing. I didn't care though. I just got up and started running through the dust storm, firing off random rounds in the hopes I might hit something.

I got to the blown out room when something reach out and grabbed me.

 _"Oh come on, not again!"_

And sure enough I was flying through another doorway before I hit the floor. Unlike that last barfight I'd decided to take a roll instead of a flop and managed to come up with That Gun drawn. The big guy who'd tossed me went first (not making that mistake again). His head went out in red chowder. Then another guy who came out on my right had his ribs redecorated to match his uniform. Then a third, who had not one but two machetes drawn.

 _"Really?"_ I asked him as I held him at gunpoint, _"At least the big guy brought a—"_

 _CLICK._

 _"Uh… time out?"_

 _"Uh uh."_

He leapt across the room and took a swing at my head. I rolled to the side, drawing Parabellum. As he came for another I stepped in; blocking his striking arm and then burying my blade in his throat. As he dropped to the floor, more came running in. He had an SMG raised and I rolled forward, drawing my throwing knife in the process.

As his burst rolled after me the knife went flying and he doubled over. I then proceeded to tackle his buddy to the floor but before I got the chance to do anything else a boot sent me right back into the room. Now they had their weapons drawn on me, and mine reached for the first things close enough. The two machetes.

I grabbed them and-

" _Whoa,"_ I whispered as they came to hand. I'd expected them to be clumsy, unfitting to me but instead they felt… natural. I felt a sudden heat on my shoulders, like the heat of the sun bearing down on me. I could hear the thunderous roars of…cheering? Chanting?

I felt a coarseness filling my boots, like I was standing in sand. I felt the roars of the crowd; their appetite for death calling for a display of carnage.

" _We will grant you a warrior's death, then,"_ a cold voice shot through my thoughts, _"even if you do not deserve it."_

Then I heard the sound of blades being unsheathed and now they had me boxed in. Two to the right, three to the front and the only way out was a three story drop. I couldn't run. Well, so much for not going out like Bowie.

I rose to my feet. I'll give them their carnage.

" _Hope you got money for that mouth of yours, 'cause I'm gonna take it from you."_

My left hand went to an armguard and my right stretched to an offense stance; bladed angled slightly upward.

" _Let's dance."_

* * *

 **Kowalski**

* * *

The rusty metal stairs leading up rocked and shook like a royal son of a bitch. This thing must've been a couple hundred years old and it still held up. I moved up with my rifle drawn, Boone directly behind me with his sub and a hand on my shoulder as we moved in up to the window. As I took the left, he dodged down under the sill and took the right. Raul moved up between us, directly under the sill.

I couldn't see shit in there. Whole place was like a fucking smog front back in 'Frisco. But I could hear them. Bastards were screaming something fucking fierce. Good.

Scream all you want. I'm coming to kill you all.

" _Estas listo?"_

" _Light 'em up."_

Raul took out a lighter and the Molotov flamed. With Boone covering, I lifted the window up and he tossed it in. There was a _crash_ and something burned.

" _Ignis!"_

" _Cover me,"_ Boone stepped through the window firing a burst as he went. I heard the dull _thumps_ as rounds went through walls. I spotted movement in the next room and I opened fire on 'em. Didn't hit shit save for a whole lotta dishes, but I got 'em to duck their heads. Heard more shooting on Boone's side and some return fire.

" _Go nino, I've got you covered."_

I nodded and then slid through the window. I tripped and fell hard on my shoulder.

" _Fuck,"_ I cursed as I rose on my elbow. The Molotov had cooked a crossroads hallway, lighting the dimmer than shit dust mess into a blazing dust mess. The flames still had cut off one access route, leaving only one for us and the enemy to take. Then suddenly Raul started shooting over my head into the next room. I went to one knee and started shooting into the room; the walls were shit for cover and the rounds tore right through.

Logic turned double and I hit the ground as they started shooting back. Suddenly a loud burst of fire went off and I was pelted in hot casings. Boone was prone; shooting into the room. As he changed mags, he grunted:

" _Shoot at their feet."_

I took aim, switched to burst, and let myself go. I tore fucking holes through them, moving from wall to wall until I heard bodies drop and the fuckers screaming. I was changing mags when I heard footsteps to my left in the hallway.

" _I've got 'em."_

Then Raul tore apart that particular wall at waist level when one really long burst. Splinters and other white shit flew all over me. He tossed the empty rifle in and came through, those fucking hand canons of his in hand. He walked over to the shred-to-fucking-pieces room and moved inside.

" _Bien. La gente are muertos."_

" _Come on,"_ Boone grunted as he pulled me up by my arm. We swept through the room and on the floor were two really fucking dead Legion sons of bitches. But to make sure, I put a round into each of their heads and spat on the corpses.

" _That's for Jimmy, Sarge and the rest, you pieces of shit."_

" _Stay on your guard, Kowalski,"_ I heard Boone growl at my shoulder, _"we're not done yet."_

The wall on the left had been ripped to shreds by our combined fire. All Boone had to do was give it a good kick and the rest of the plaster fell out. He moved through the man sized hole and I followed. The Molotov down the hall had burned out, but it still stunk like tar or some other nasty shit. I put my bandana to my mouth as we moved through.

There were two more bodies ahead. Same story as the other two. Raul was directly behind me and he stiffened like a whipped dog.

" _What is it?_ I asked as I dropped to a knee, expecting trouble.

" _Too easy."_

" _Mebbe the grenade…"_

" _No,"_ Boone interrupted, _"I know how they operate. They wouldn't have had all their people on the stairwell. There should be more than just four here."_

" _Heh, bien mierda. They've pull back…waiting for us."_

" _We take it slow, then. And get the Molotov's ready. We may need to cook 'em out."_

We moved down the hall in a staggered line: Boone in front, and Raul behind. There was a door on our left. Boone shifted to one side and I moved up to nod. On a count of three, I opened it and he moved in, sweeping it before coming out. He headed to the corner when suddenly he froze.

" _S_ _ine ictu his liniri_ _!"_

" _Get back!"_

My back hit the ground and something flew past us with a loud _whoosh!_ It went through the broken wall and suddenly the back room exploded! The walls blocked most of the shockwave, though it didn't stop part of it from falling on us. We looked like fucking snowmen up in Sacramento.

* * *

 **Raul**

* * *

" _Miera! Estos chicos son tenaces…_ _Eh, Boone?"_

I looked left to see el hombre melancólico lying soundly on the floor. I shook him mu pocu, then a finger en el cuello. Sip, there was a beat. Ligero, pero hay. This is why yo prefiero trabajar alone.

Mierda. I could hear them reloading. Cataracts hacer que mi vista a la luz, pero my ears are like a cats. Maybe it's compensation. No saben no les importa. What is that I have about quince segundos to kill these barbaros before they explode us in a spectacular paint show.

I got up, mis articulaciones que hacen estallar como un verdadero hijo de puta, but I got up anyway. I'd perfect fine with them turning me into puddle, but niños still has a few more decades to live, so he gets my doloroso esfuerzo for today. I looked to the room Boone had cleared veinte seundos ago. Eh it's worth un intento.

" _Hey chico, I need to borrow these."_

I took his coctel Molotov y subfusil y comprobado the mag. Si, this will do. I need para hacer a new door. I stepped through the room and fired into the wall until it looked like un herradura. I drew las Manos de Dios, and braced myself.

" _Bien esto va a doler…bala tiempo, don't fail me now."_

I charged forward and smashed through the plaster wall. Like I hoped; everything ralentizado. The breaking wall, the bastardos loading their tubo de la fatalidad y all this gypsum cagar floating around like its Navidad en el rancho y it decided to be a good year! Y everything sounds like I'm in el medio del oceano. Ya sabes, that weird distorted slowness? Lo que sea.

Point being these tarados were moving so slowly; only now shifting to mi buen aspect looking all ridiculo while they did: that it era demasiado facil to bring up las Manos de Dios and start putting holes in them. They make me laugh; them reacting all extranamente as I blew them to pieces. As arms and ribs went flying they all screamed these dramatico _Aaahhh_ y _Gahhh!_ They make me laugh, pero not enough for me not to groan as I hit the floor.

I hate being old.

" _Man's got to know his limitations."_

I rose really, really slowly. I want to avoid romper las rodillas today, tambien. Still, had to smile. Three down and all got was a hombro doloroso! Then of course more were coming my way. I could hear them hitting the stairs. Las Manos de Dios need to take a nap, so I took out the Molotov.

" _Retrib—"_

I held up the Molotov y se congelaron. I then, ah what is it that Gideon keeps calling it, a _'shit eating grin'?_ Well, I gave them a shit eating grin.

" _Go ahead muchachos, make my day."_

The tres de ellos tried to run, but I gave them a fiery death! Muhahaha! …Though I do admit that tarados ardientes, well you never get used to the smell. I turned to see Boone standing at the hallway.

" _I hope you like your beef well done."_

" _And rare, tambien!"_

" _Heh."_

Well what do you know? He can smile! And laugh too!

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

" _Fricking potholes."_

I rose to my feet, knocking plaster and wood off my helmet. I then looked up and I saw I'd jumped into a snake pit full of cosplayers…with a lot of guns.

 _"Oh hi! I'm Veronica and I'm here to kick your asses!"_

 _"Kill the helot!"_

I knew what was coming. Sizing up the arsenal of everybody in this room and their calibers: I knew that my armor would hold against them. But it didn't stop it from hurting like hell. Imagine a dozen guys giving you a beatdown for the course of two minutes. I stood there, bared my teeth and dug my heels in and I took it.

The twelve seconds it took for them to empty their guns in me felt like an eternity and I went to my knees. My entire body felt like it should have been blasted to pieces and that it was just hanging on to my pathetic remains of a skeleton out of pure stubbornness… at least for the six seconds afterwards before the Med-X kicked in. My body felt utterly warm and weightless, like I'd taken a dive in a hot tub. Mmmm, I feel like a marshmallow… I really want a dress… focus girl, badguys in front. I rose to a fighting stance.

 _"My turn."_

I lunged at the nearest one. With one hand I disarmed him of his Rifle and with the other I punched him in the throat. As he flew back into the wall another was at my shoulder. I spun and smashed his head in with the rifle; the stock exploding on impact. Another was on my tail so I proceeded to grab this lump of meat and toss him right into the other lump of meat.

I then heard a distinctive _shink_ and they'd decided to make this personal. That's alright. They still don't have a prayer. I bobbed low as one took a swing at me with a big Panga. I hit him with a one-two to the chest and chin, and then followed up by kicking him straight into his buddies.

Some tripped, a few dexterous sorts leapt over him. One came down on me. I sidestepped, letting him fall flat on his face. The second in line went with a combo of swings and stabs. I dodged each before catching his arm and then breaking it in two with a twist.

I then uppercut him and he went into the ceiling. Two more came at me. I stepped back blocking their slashes; their knives sparking off my hydraulic arms. The guy I'd dodged early came up on me; hitting me over the helmet. Fat luck of good for him; stupid cross dressing jerkwad.

I spun delivering an elbow to the face, then blocking one attacker while jabbing another and knocking him over. I then grabbed jerkwad#2 by his chest and then left him over head until his went through the floor. Jerkwad #3 came back for some more, swinging and cursing at me. I blocked each attack, but then I was surrounded again as Jerkwad #4 brought a friend. My arms went alive with sparks and _clinks_ as I blocked all their feeble assembly of hits.

I punched one in the face, grabbed him and tossed him into another. Kicked #4 across the room. #3 and 5 got back up for some more thrilling beatdowns by a girl in a power suit. Then I felt something hit then wrap around my legs before weights knocked me over. Oh great, they have boas.

Now all three of them were stabbing, slashing and kicking away at me. I blocked each hit for a few seconds before I elbowed on in the face and punched another in the stomach. Then I felt a boot in my face and I went back to the ground. Then I saw the sudden flash of- god fucking oh Goddamn that hurts! I looked over to see a knife embed in my shoulder and hurting like I was fucking on goddamn fucking fire despite the fucking useless Med-X rolling through me.

Okay now I'm mad.

" _Pathetic whelp, you bleed like—"_

" _Shut your fucking stupid rapist jerkface! Never mind I'll do it for you!"_

I grabbed him by his head and then proceeded to bury my thumbs into his eyes and my fingers into his skull. Over his screams I crushed in his skull like I was crushing a fucking grapefruit. I FUCKING HATE GRAPEFRUITS! I grabbed him and tossed him over into his buddy. The motherfucker who stabbed me tried to smack me with a metal weight.

I headbutted him and threw him across the room. I'll get to you soon enough. I ripped the boa's off and then tossed the metal weights at the other pissants head. They and his head went into the wall and stayed there. Now it was stabbing shit's turn.

" _Mars protect me!"_

" _Fuck you and your fucking make belief god!"_

" _You dare!"_

That's right come here. As he lunged I grabbed him by his arm and then broke it once, then twice and then a third time cause I fucking feel like it. I then started hammering him in the gut until I felt his ribs break. I then grabbed him by the throat and smashed him into the wall. I then extracted the knife from my shoulder and then slammed it into his shoulder.

I let him scream for a bit before I finally got tired of them. This evil pile of death worshipping garbage doesn't deserve screams or my fucking mercy or the chance to plead when he's never offered the same to anybody else. I dug my fingers around his windpipe and then proceeded to rip it out in big red splatter. It took about a minute for him to choke to death afterwards. I deactivated my helmet and spat at him:

" _Tell the boatman I'll come and kick his ass too if he bothers me again with—oh goddamn that hurts!"_

Then ten more seconds of liquid hot fucking fire boiled me until… okay Med-X has kicked in. I really could go for a hotdog right now. But first I need to peel off this armor and go take a warm…

" _Oh shit, Gideon!"_

I ran back to where I fell through and jumped straight up.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

The ones on my right came at me first. As I spun to face them a familiar calm overcame me and I smiled. The world went into slow motion; my attackers bathed in that orange hue and I wasted no time making my selection. _Block, step in and slash upward, turn, slash downward, spin, block, slash across the leg, slash across arm…_ My focus waned and I took what I got.

He swung downward. I blocked and slashed across his throat then brought both of my weapons down upon the man behind him. As he fell in a snail's crawling pace, I spun and blocked an incoming stab aimed for my chest. I threw aside and then racked his leg and arm with my weapons. And then it happened. The calm shattered and I was hit by an icy gutpunch that made my brain lurch forward in my skull.

The other two were still coming at me. I let myself fall and I managed a sloppy roll that took me out the door. I kept rolling until I hit the wall. I grabbed it and dragged myself off the floor. Now sooner than I did than they decided to cut the chase and go straight for decapitation.

I moved forward as the blade hacked through the wall. I stepped back and turned to face my attackers. The second guy took a stab at me and I was barely able to redirect it to the side as I shuffled back to get some breathing space. I shifted my stance. My left hand went for a reverse grip to act as my guard, my right down low as my parry. They dropped back a step; reassessing me and getting coordinated.

Then they both lurched forward. I parried and countered, blocked and fenced with the life of me, but they kept driving me backwards. I spotted an open door to my right and I ducked through it; sliding over a table and using it as a barrier. They came running in and took to my flanks. Instead of waiting for them to come to me I went to them.

I struck out at the one on the right, swinging and slashing at him with a figure eight pattern to which he masterfully blocked. But as he went to an upward block I kicked him back into the wall. Then I heard the other guy coming up from behind so I ran into the next room. Inside I spun and deflected his flying upward stab but before I could finish him the other guy was swinging at me. And before I knew it I was defending myself against both of them.

Then I felt my right blade get knocked right out of my hand. The guy on my right advanced and I was soon shifting back and forth to block spark flying blows that were battering me away. Then finally the other weapon went flying. But that's okay: I'm better with my hands. I tackled into the Legionnaire on my left; grabbing his weapon arm and throwing it up as I hit him with an elbow before I wrapped my arm around his neck in a headlock.

I then twisted and sent him crashing right back into his buddy. As I did, my hand ran across his arm and I managed to steal his machete.

" _Didn't see that coming did you?"_

I went for a reverse grip.

" _Scumae!"_

" _Me? Scum? I've been called a great many things but scum has not been among them."_

They looked at me slightly dumbfounded.

" _How do you know the Linguae?"_

 _"Good question. Why don't you find out?"_

They retrieved my fallen blades and started to advance. Why did I have to open my big mouth? Too late now. I dropped back into my fighting stance, retreating a few steps behind until I reached a really tall grandfather clock. Oh man this is a nice grandfather clock.

I hope whatever place in Heaven carpenters go will come to forgive me for destroying their craftsmanship, cause I can't take on both these chumps at the same time. So once I got where I needed to be I stood my ground and got ready. Sure enough they came charging in. I grabbed the clock and pulled. The clock descended like the hammerblow of a blacksmith at work and exploded greater than the fiercest bass of a lightning strike.

But my timing had been off.

 _"Shit."_

The plan had been crush one of them. But the lucky son of a bitch dodged back at the last second and avoided being pancaked. Still I can salvage this (I'm tenacious, sue me). Instead of holding them right there behind this giant barrier, I backed up. And like clockwork, no puns intended, the bigger of the two leapt over the clock which was angled at waist level.

As he landed I closed in.

" _C'mon here, I've got something for your face."_

I didn't bother playing cautious anymore. I went straight in for the kill and I swung with the might of a bull. I practically started using that machete like a bat. I slammed and smashed at him over and over again; never once giving him any sort of breathing space. We got so damn close we could've grappled and I took full advantage of that.

As he blocked my strike, I grabbed him by his arm and then proceeded to run a knee right into his groin. But I didn't stop there. I kneed him in the gut, the stomach, his chin once it got in range which sent him flying back into the clock. As he was disoriented, I went for the kill strike. I swung back and hard, burying my weapon right through his collar bone.

Blood exploded from the wound for the first few seconds before it ran from him like a river. He choked on his own essence; great torrents of it bubbling from his mouth. Then he slumped to the floor with a dull _thud._ As I went to retrieve his weapon I heard running. I looked up and I saw the smaller man sprinting towards me.

I had plenty of time to pull away, but I didn't. Stupidity at its finest. I just stood there like a big fool; staring at him coming my way. And before I figured out what he was going to do it was far too late. He vaulted over the clock and put a boot right in my face.

I hit the ground hard. I was seeing white and whole fuzzy stuff as my brain swamped in its own disgusting bath of slime. I tried to get up but then my chest was electrified as this prick used it for soccer practice. I recovered enough to see him hovering over me and there in his hand was a really long skinning knife.

" _May you burn in Hades."_

Then he was right over me, forcing this knife on me with both hands and his weight against my raised arms. I've seen this show before. I let go softly and moved just a little to my right. The blade smashed into the floor and I knocked him off me with an elbow to the back of the head. When I tried to get up, nausea hit me bad.

I braced myself against the wall. Man I really need to puke.

" _Die!"_

I dropped to the ground as he slashed the wall apart with another goddamn machete.

" _Haven't you tried to kill me enough for one day!?"_

He raised his weapon.

" _Hey jerkwad! Catch!"_

Suddenly the grandfather clock flew out and knocked him down. Like some mechanized Fem Fatale, V strolled through and then grabbed the Legionnaire. She then threw him head first through a wall and he was now in the other room with the remains of his head splattered against the wall.

" _I had him on the ropes."_

" _I know you did."_

She extended a hand down to me and I took it gratefully. Then my guts decided it was dumping time. I was then on the floor again vomiting the contents of anything I'd eaten in the last couple of hours.

" _That's it let it out."_

This went for about a minute before I was ready to get back up.

" _You okay?"_

" _Yeah. Paying for overusing VATS."_

" _Adrenaline dump is never pretty. But from the looks of things you put it to good use."_

That's when I noticed the darken hole in her shoulder. And all the smashed imbedded slugs stuck to her armor. She shrugged.

" _Bullet proof or shank proof. No middle ground there."_

She sounded a little weird.

" _Are you high?"_

" _A little bit. But I feel its wearing off."_

" _Well then here,"_ I pulled a Stimpack from my medkit, _"let's get you fixed up."_

" _No I—"_

" _You will pay!"_

We both spun around. There, at the end of the hall was another Legionnaire… and he had a Bazooka pointed at us. But before he could put finger to trigger there was a familiar looking Magnum pointed to his head. And with a flash the head disappeared.

" _Glad to see you could drop by, Arcanum!"_

" _You have a damnable habit of attempted homicide, Mr. Maddox…"_

And from the shadows and all its glamour stepped forth into the light my trench coat and fedora wearing guardian angel. He smiled softly at me… or us.

"… _And it makes my job of protecting your sorry hide all the more difficult."_

" _Oh…my…God…"_ Veronica gasped. Arcanum tipped his fedora lightly:

" _I am an angel of the Lord, Ms. Santangelo."_

As if to punctuate his point a bright light flashed out like thunder and there in the illumination were the silhouettes of really long and very large wings. And with another flash they were gone.

" _Holy shit! I mean, I didn't mean to—"_

He raised a hand gently.

" _There are far more worse blasphemies that can be made. You needn't fret."_

" _Oh I'm sorry, uh Mr. Angel person um thing—oh God, I'm…"_

" _Arcanum will do, Ms. Santangelo."_

" _So wait, you can see him too?"_

" _Of course she can see me, if I choose to. I'm not a simple hallucination in your mind."_

" _Sorry, I had to ask."_

" _Now if you'll excuse me…"_

" _Wait a second! Just hold on one second please! I gotta—"_

" _Ask about… Elijah?"_

" _How'd you—Oh that's a stupid question. But I have to know. Is he still alive?"_

" _Who's to say I would know?"_

" _But you're an Angel. You're supposed to be all knowing!"_

" _Not always. Not even the Lord himself can foresee all things yet to be unfolded."_

Veronica sounded incredibly desperate in this moment. She shook softly and I could feel her tears building up there.

" _V…"_

" _He is."_

She gasped in relief. But then… he gave me a look. A look of cold foreboding. A look of death.

" _You will both see him soon."_

He opened his mouth to speak more, but he stopped midsentence. Was he trying to warn me? And if so: of what?

" _There are things you must discover yourself, Mr. Maddox,"_ his voice utterly startled me, _"but I can say this. Be careful what you wish for... both of you."_

" _That's really vague."_

" _That is all I can say."_

And then he was gone.


	20. Chapter XIX: Boulder City

**Chapter XIX:**

 **Boulder City**

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

My feelings as we made the long way down to the bottom floor were strangely mixed. I was relieved at both of us making out of here alive and satisfied at winning this day against rather ridiculous odds. But those feelings passed very quickly as a sense of foreboding settled into my bones. Another piece of my past revealed in fragments that I did not understand but all the while dreaded. And now a warning from Arcanum about things that hadn't even happened yet.

Scared wouldn't be the right word. Whatever comes; I'll deal with it one or another just as I have everything else. No… I think I'm just tired. Not just physically or mentally, which I am don't get me wrong; but also of the miles and miles of utter knee high bullshit I've been wading through ever since I got dug out of the ground.

I'm just hoping that tonight it all ends.

" _You okay, V?"_

Veronica had been strangely quiet the entire time down and I don't think it's just the morphine wearing off.

" _Yeah it's just… I don't know I just…"_

" _Who is he?"_

" _Hmm?"_

" _This Elijah. You asked Arcanum if he was alive or not."_

She didn't answer at first. As we continued walking along the ruins of this pre-war apartment complex; her face went through many different stages. What I mean by this is that she was happy and sad and then neutral; over and over again for about a long minute. Like she was reliving her memories. Finally she answered; sorrow lain in her voice:

" _He was my mentor. But he was more than that. When my parents died, and hell even before that, he was like a grandfather to me. He—everything I know about tech, how it works, how to preserve it, how to push its limits… all came from him. I used to beg to follow him everywhere he went, watch him work."_

" _He sounds like a good man."_

" _You wouldn't have liked him."_

" _What do you mean?"_

She stopped in her tracks and turned to face me.

" _If he could, he would've made the Brotherhood machines. Order them around with the push of a button. No backtalk, no questioning his orders. His vision."_

" _I wouldn't mind doing that to some folk."_

" _Gideon…"_

" _I'm just kidding. But I think I get what you're saying. There was only him and_ ** _the_** _mission. Right?"_

" _Not really_ ** _the_** _mission. More like_ ** _his_** _mission. He and the Elders back in California couldn't agree on anything. See they were cautious about technology. They wanted to learn its limits and how to preserve it. Elijah wanted to know how to push its limits, advance it several steps along the way. He was driven. To some it was inspiring. The suit I'm wearing was a product of that vision."_

" _So what changed?"_

" _He did. He convinced the Elders that we needed to secure the Mojave and its secrets before the NCR did. It was dangerous. We were still at war, and losing more and more ground every day. We didn't need to spread ourselves even further out than we already were. But Elijah said that what was here could change everything."_

" _Helios One?"_

She nodded.

" _My parents were close to him. Told him that it couldn't be defended. But he just kept saying that there was something there, something that we could use against the NCR. Of course, he never told any of us what it was or how he would use it. So we set up camp. The NCR took the dam and soon they had Helios surrounded."_

" _How'd you get out?"_

" _I wasn't there. I was with Mac and the others exploring a—"_

She froze midsentence and looked at me strangely.

" _You can trust me, V."_

" _I do but it's just—"_

" _Look, I gave Boone the same talk a few nights ago. You don't need to keep secrets from me. I'm not the type that'll blab them to someone else without permission."_

" _So you're not an asshole?"_

" _I try not to be."_

She nodded and continued.

" _There's an old pre-war bunker system codenamed Hidden Valley. We'd found it, thought it would make a perfect base. Turns out we were too right."_

Her face enveloped in sorrow. Tears streamed down her face as her voice broke:

" _My parents, my friends… Christine… they—"_

" _Hey it's okay."_

I grabbed her and cradled her in my arms. I could feel her sobbing heavy in my shoulder. I stroked her hair comfortingly as I soothed:

" _It's okay. Let it out."_

And she did. For a long drawn out couple of minutes. And when she came to, her face was a mess. I offered her my shemagh scarf but she shook her head:

" _Elijah wasn't among them."_

" _He escaped?"_

" _Yeah. I mean he wasn't the only one. Hardin, Ramos and others managed to fight their way out. But none of them had seen Elijah. When the battle began he just disappeared. But then a couple of days later I got a message from him. He—the only thing familiar about it was his signature. I…I don't want to say he sounded delusional but… he was angry. But not in a way I'd ever seen before. He… he honestly scared me."_

" _When a desperate man loses everything…"_

" _I guess. He said that the Brotherhood was doomed. That he'd come and save us all."_

" _How?"_

She shook her head.

" _I don't know. He just said he was looking for something from the Old World,"_ she paused at this, _"wipe the slate clean."_

That sent alarm bells in my head. The look Arcanum gave me…oh God.

 _"What if he's found it? What if he's found this slate wiper?"_

 _"That was over five years ago though. If he'd found it, I think he would've used it by now."_

 _"I guess we'll see soon enough."_

 _"Yeah…both of us."_

 _"C'mon, it's a problem for tomorrow. Let's go join the others."_

 _"So what happens now?"_

 _"Now we go talk to some Khans and hopefully my quest will be over and I can finally get a proper night's sleep."_

 _"Yeah,"_ she chuckled, _"you look like you could use it."_

 _"So could you."_

* * *

 **Kowalski**

* * *

I'd avenged my brother. I'd avenged Sarge, Johnson, Carter, Donny and everybody else the Legion bastards had murdered in this town tonight. I'd done what I'd promised. But here I am, standing before the black wall entitled the hundred names of the soldiers who died holding the Legion here all those years ago. Men who had died so that others could live.

My hand ran across the wall. Across the chiseled letters, until I found his. James Walter Kowalski. I should've felt proud. I should've felt… felt something.

Something other than… cold. I felt hollow. Like anything happy had been drained from me and I was just standing here like some kind of zombie. Why? I'd done this for them.

Why did I feel worse?

" _Because we're not built for revenge, nino."_

I turned to see Raul standing behind me.

" _What, you can read minds too?"_

" _No. But I know the look."_

He then stepped to my side and stared at the wall.

" _A lot of hombres valientes died here. And they honor them with this."_

" _This? This tells of what they did! What they died for!"_

" _You think so?"_

" _What, you think it's not good enough?"_

" _Esta cosa,"_ he ran his hand against it, _"is just stone. It has no meaning, no mourning to it. It's just a piece of faded stone en un cien anos will be remembered for being just that. A piece of stone. It's memory that honors the dead. Gives what they did here meaning. It's what you're doing here, right now, luto y recordando su perdida, that truly tells the weight of them. Because otherwise the world forgets, and we go back to what things were."_

" _War never changes."_

He nodded. And I felt even colder inside.

" _Why… do I feel like this? I—I killed the men who taken their lives. Avenged those who'd fallen. Why?"_

" _Porque son are still dead. Revenge… doesn't bring them back. No matter… how much you wish it would."_

I felt the bitter sorrow in his voice. The pain there.

" _What happened to you?"_

" _I lost mi mundo. My life and everyone that gave it meaning. And vengeance… it did not give it back._ _Y todo lo que hizo fue asegurarse de que nunca se sentiría otra vez… well until now."_

" _Why now?"_

" _People I can care about."_

He then looked to the direction of the other buildings.

" _You asked me why you feel sorrow. Because revenge is hollow. The only way to live with it sin comer is to find others que te ayudaran your burden."_

" _I…"_ I stared down at the ground, _"I don't think I can."_

" _Then don't fight for vengeance. Fight for justice. Lucha por los who cannot themselves. And in time; encontraras proposito y you will find peace."_

I nodded somberly.

" _Now come on,"_ he smiled, _"the others are waiting."_

* * *

 **Monroe**

* * *

The ruined plaza in front of our position had been quiet for the last ten minutes. For the fifteen minutes prior to that there had been nothing but gunfire and explosions as the damn apartments were being blown apart. I'm still surprised they're still standing. Then I spotted movement ahead and I raised my weapon.

" _Identify yourself!"_

" _LT!"_

I smiled slightly as Jake Kowalski came into view. I'm glad he'll be making it out of here tonight. Mama Kowalski doesn't need to lose another son.

" _Hiya son, how you fairin'?"_

" _Could've been worse. I—well, I think I should give these to you."_

Before he even had them in hand, I knew what they were. Castellone had saved my life more times than I could count. I just hope he and everybody else who'd fallen tonight would find some place better than this shitstain. I patted Jake's arm and smiled at him:

" _Go ahead and head inside. Joe's serving something I can't describe, but he'll at least have some coffee."_

" _Thanks LT."_

Then I looked past him and I spotted a man wearing a red beret.

" _You must be Sergeant Boone."_

" _Lieutenant Monroe."_

" _Son, I want to thank you. My men will be able to live another day after this, and so will Jake here."_

Then I spotted a Ghoul right next to him. I flinched slightly but then I saw his eyes and I relaxed. Ferals don't have pupils.

" _And who are you?"_

" _Raul the Mechanic and occasional Gunfighter with severe cataracts!"_

" _Huh."_

This guy's not military.

" _Where's the rest of your unit, Sergeant?"_

" _I'm retired actually. And they should be coming out any minute."_

" _Retired? Don't mind me asking but what are you doing out here then?"_

" _We heard you have some Khans locked up!"_

There was another man approaching flanked by a woman wearing a brown robe. This guy though… his eye was cold like a snake. I felt a shiver of cold sweat run down my neck. And when he got closer I could tell he wasn't exactly new to this hellhole.

" _You're with him?"_

Boone shrugged:

" _More like I'm with him, sir."_

" _Name's Gideon Maddox. This is Veronica-"_

" _Ma'am,"_ I curtseyed.

" _And you've already met Raul and Boone."_

" _So what's your business here, Mr. Maddox?"_

" _I'm a Courier with the Mojave Express. Three weeks ago the Khans shot me and stole a package I was delivering. I've been chasing them ever since."_

" _Quite the poesy you've gathered, Mr. Maddox."_

" _You haven't seen its full membership,"_ Veronica smiled.

" _Well, from the looks of it already I wager they'll be quite interesting."_

" _Speaking of which."_

He turned and cupped his hands over his mouth:

" _Hey Cass! You in there!? Come on out, we're getting bored over here!"_

" _I'm comin'! Keep yer damn shirt on!"_

A minute passed and I wasn't wrong. There a damnably fine lookin' woman shouldering a bloody Bazooka and a mortar! Then there was the strangest looking robot I've ever seen. It looked like something out of a Captain Cosmos movie.

" _New toys, Cass?"_

" _Hey the shitheads tried ta kill me with 'em, girlie. Cost me and ED-E here quite a bit of pain. Figure we needed some reimbursement!"_

She then tossed her cargo along with a very big duffle bag onto the floor.

" _Where the hell do you keep finding duffle bags?"_

" _Dunno, Gid. They just keep showin' up all over the place."_

" _Hmm, un dispositivo parcela conveniente por un escritor lento!"_

" _The hell did he say?"_

" _Don't ask."_

" _Well, Mr. Maddox, I must inform you that any and all military equipment left behind or taken from the enemy must be taken into custody by the Quartermaster Office."_

" _Ya gotta be shittin' me. Look, LT, I just had to drag this shit down four separate flights of stairs, most of which had been blown ta shit so—"_

" _So considering the fact that they aren't actually here and you've more than done your fair share savin' my men and I's personal and respective bacon's, I must also inform you that the Q office rarely conducts investigations in missing contraband."_

" _You sneaky bastard,"_ Gideon grinned. I smiled back.

" _You've more than earned it."_

" _So Lieutenant, what can you tell me about the Khans?"_

* * *

 **Jessup**

* * *

If some asshole was to ask me things could've gotten worse: I'd shove the barrel of my Three-Five-Seven down his fuckin' throat, then piss on the remains. That fuckin' weasel Benny sold us out; got MacMurpy killed and now we've got a whole fuckin' army out there waitin' for us to poke our heads so they can blast us. Papa had been right from the start. We never should've taken this fuckin' job 'cause it's brought us nothin' but fuckin' misery. This was supposed to be a simple gig: grab a package and get this pretty boy back into Vegas without his boss noticing!

But things have been goin' wrong from the start. And now here we are. Originally, we were planning on simply waitin' for the Legion to kill these Fed pricks and we'd be on our merry way and even getting our hands on Benny. But the shooting stopped a while back, and we knew why. We confirmed that when we grabbed these two worthless sacks of shit.

I've dealt with these Fed's before. Don't like to send their boys home to mama in a body bag. They'll cooperate, mebbe even let us out.

" _Jesse!"_

" _Whachya see?"_

" _It's the Fed's. They're moving on the outskirts."_

" _Shit. Bethe, grab one of 'em and bring him out here!"_

She handed him to me and when he tried to wriggle out I smacked him on the head.

" _Don't do anything stupid, sucka. Or I'll put one in you. Don't wanna have to kill you, but don't you go and do something I don't like, ya hear?"_

I then marched him out with the Thee-Five-Seven behind his head.

" _Hey shitheads! We got two of your boys over here! You come any closer and we'll kill 'em both! Ya hear me!? Now we don't want no trouble! We just want outta here! Ya let us go, you get your boys back and we'll be outta your turf by sundown tomorrow! You got one hour or we start sending over fingers!"_

I then marched him back inside. Chrissy gave me a funny look.

" _We ain't gonna actually do it? I got no problems wackin' someone who crosses us, mebbe get a little nasty with 'em if they piss me off. But look at 'em. They're kids, Jesse! Just kids!"_

" _Maybe, but these pricks had no problems killin' our kids or our old ones back at Bitter Springs."_

" _Don't mean it's right! Look, Papa mebbe sidin' with those skirt wearing sadists, but we ain't like them! We don't torture folk."_

" _Chrissy, it ain't gonna come to it. They care too much fer their own. They'll talk before they see 'em squeal. I just had to show them we're serious."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

Things had gotten complicated and not in a remotely good way. The Khans had taken the two troopers Monroe had stationed to watch them. What made things worse was that they were in a very good position. It was a brick building with one exit surrounded by low height ruins and level fields for about thirty feet in any direction. There was cover on the right side with still standing walls and ruins, but that was too far to launch an assault.

" _This is going to be tricky."_

" _Dicey is more like it,"_ Cass replied, _"these guys are serious. They'll go out shootin' if it comes to it and they'll take the two troopers with 'em."_

" _What does Monroe want to do?"_

" _Nothing for right now. He knows he can't shoot them out without putting his men at risk."_

" _So why don't we wait for el Calvario? Let them handle this."_

Boone shook his head:

" _Can't. Benny's a Chairman which means he'd have diplomatic immunity."_

" _Yer shittin' me."_

" _They'll scoop him up and dump in right on the strip."_

I nodded slowly, eyeing the building across from us:

" _Which means we need to nab these guys before dawn."_

" _Why not just send me in,"_ Veronica piped in, _"they probably couldn't take me down. I get in close, bring ED-E for backup…"_

" _And have Monroe's men shoot you in the back?"_ Boone countered, _"They're on edge. I don't need to add you to the body count."_

" _You don't need?"_

" _I'll go."_

They all looked at me strangely.

" _They know me."_

" _They shot you."_

" _Technically Benny shot me. But look, these guys want out. I'm not NCR. I can talk them out of killing the hostages, maybe talk them into surrendering."_

" _They won't go for that."_

" _They'll have to,"_ Boone answered, _"Monroe doesn't have the authority to release them. This ends either with handcuffs or bullets."_

" _Why don't you go in? You got cover. Solo acampar en las simbras and pick them off from afar."_

" _No."_

" _No?"_

" _If it comes to it, I will. But if it doesn't…"_

" _When did you start feelin' merciful?"_

" _As I said, I have to make up for my sins."_

" _But for these guys?"_ Veronica exclaimed, _"They're drug peddling scumbags!"_

" _Drug-peddlin', maybe. But scum, girlie? Scum don't have a sense of honor. Plus, where do ya think all those prescribed meds, and I ain't just talkin' psycho and the like, come from? Those goodie-two shoes at the Mormon Fort get their stuff from the Khans. Stimpacks, rad-away… all good stuff that've saved a lot of lives. Scum don't do that."_

" _Didn't realize you liked them too."_

" _Girlie, there's a difference 'tween_ _like_ _and_ _respect_ _."_

" _And besides,"_ Boone added, _"most of my former squadmates back in Recon were Khans."_

" _Okay, okay, I get your points. Much as I don't like them."_

" _Good, because we need to get a move on,"_ I interrupted.

" _So what's the plan Bossman?"_

" _I'll walk in, and hope they won't shoot me on sight."_

" _That's a terrible plan, jefe."_

" _It is. But it's the only one I got."_

" _I can still cover you there,"_ Boone pointed out the spot Raul had suggested earlier, _"Should give me a clear line of sight on the front door."_

" _That's a two-man job. Anybody volunteering to cover my ass?"_

" _That'll be me!"_

We all spun around to see Private Kowalski running out of the ruining towards us.

" _Kid, you've done enough for one night."_

" _Sir, with all due respect I haven't. I know these guys, and I want to help anyway I can."_

" _You're learning Chico,"_ Raul smiled. He nodded simply:

" _Somebodies gotta fight for those who can't themselves."_

" _Alright,"_ I interrupted, _"Kid, you'll go with Boone. How much time do you need to get set up?"_

" _Five minutes."_

" _Alright then. I'll be walking out in five then."_

Then the two disappeared out of sight.

" _Are you sure ya want ta do this, Gid?"_

" _Got no other choice. This ends tonight."_

" _But what 'bout Benny? He might start takin' shots at you."_

" _If he does, then Boone will drop him. The Khans aren't stupid. They know they can't shoot their way out. The last thing they'll want to do is kill a negotiator."_

I then plucked my handguns and other respective weapons from their holsters and sheaves and handed them to Cass.

" _Dunno, jefe. Desesperados tend to do stupid things. And you're walking in unarmed."_

" _I'm not going to be totally unarmed,"_ I smirked, and V smiled in response. Raul shook his head.

" _Pistolas tend to beat punos, Boss."_

" _Not always,"_ Veronica smiled.

" _So says la senora vistiendo armadura de poder."_

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

We low crawled the majority of the way to the target spot. Kowalski is a fast learner. He was practically moving in my footsteps with almost as much silence. He might've made a good Ranger. Maybe he still will.

" _You were at Bitter Springs, right?"_

I froze.

" _Drop it, Kowalski. This isn't the time or place."_

" _I know what happened there. What Recon had to do there. Is that why you don't want to drop these guys?"_

" _How much did you eavesdrop on us?"_

" _Enough to know you clearly care for Veronica. And that you don't want these Khans dead."_

" _If you know, then why are you asking?"_

" _If it came to it—"_

" _If it comes to them or Gideon and your men, the choice should be obvious. Now stow it and let's keep moving."_

" _Yes sir."_

" _I'm not an officer."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

The alarm on my Pip-Boy went out. I nodded.

" _Good luck, Mr. Maddox,"_ Monroe shook my hand, _"if we hear shootin', we'll come runnin'."_

" _Don't worry, sir. I've got more than enough protection."_

As I started walking out, ED-E zoomed in front of me and beeping like a whining dog. I patted his metal hide and smiled simply.

" _It's okay buddy. I'll be back."_

Monroe then called out:

" _Attention Khans! We're sending over a negotiator to talk to you! He is unarmed! But if we hear shooting, we will come in there and we will kill you!"_

" _Okay, let's see if this'll work."_

I was about 50 or so feet from the brick house. A walk should've been no less than a minute. But trust me, it felt like an hour. Every step, my guts got tugged just a little tighter. Oh, I've dealt with worse than Khans tonight, but this time I'm going to have to leave my fate and the fates of others to luck.

I will never trust the value of luck. Because in the end it has no allegiance. I got to about 15 feet from the building when I spotted movement behind some rubble in front. Then a harsh voice called out:

" _That's close enough! Say yer peace!"_

" _No!"_

" _Wha—wait what!? You got a death wish, or somethin'!?"_

" _Not particularly! But I'm only gonna talk if I can see the hostages! That means you need to let me come inside or this turns into a shooting war!"_

" _We'll kill the hostages, man!"_

" _And then they'll kill you! Is that what you want?"_

I stood there like a goddamn deer in the headlights for about a minute before finally someone else shouted:

" _Conner let him in! Guys got balls. I'll give 'em that."_

Okay let's not do anything stupid guys. I walked to the patch of rubble.

" _Holy shit!"_

I froze.

" _No fuckin' way! You're dead! Benny shot you!"_

I gave them the biggest fucking grin I could manage.

" _Yeah that's right. He shot me. But I came back as_ _Ghost!_ _I'm here to haunt your sorry asses! Whooo!"_

" _Oh cut the shit, deadman! And get your fuckin' hands in the air, or we'll make sure you're dead!"_

I was half tempted to call out to Boone and have him prove a point. But I don't need to waste my ace in the hole just yet. So I did just as they said, and two of them came out; both women wearing torn jeans, leather jackets and vests, Mohawks and carrying SMG's and a couple lever-actions: and then dragged me under the cover of the rubble.

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

" _Shit,"_ Kowalski cursed next to me.

" _Just give 'em a second."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

They tore off my jacket and started to frisk me.

" _Told y'all I'm unarmed."_

" _With you, we ain't taking any fuckin' chances."_

I turned to face the speaker. Oh yeah, this guy's clearly the leader. He was taller and paler than the rest, wearing studded biker leathers and a ridiculous sized Mohawk. Plus a sawn-off pointed at my groin. Still I chuckled a little:

" _Gotta ask. Whachya use for that hair of yours?"_

" _You tryna get yerself kill again, funny man?"_

" _No but I'm curious."_

" _Conditioner I got from Freeside. Turn around."_

I did and they then checked my pockets. And a few other things.

" _You got a nice ass fer a mailman."_

" _Hey I try."_

" _Yer a funny guy. Shame Benny had ta shoot you and make you a cripple too."_

" _Quit fuckin' flirting Bethe. Stand up."_

I did and they then pushed me through the door. The windows on either side were blown out and the room was completely open. I turned and I could see the ruins twenty yards away. I then returned to the front and I spotted Ackerman and Gilbert. They were tied up and gagged, and had a mean looking guy with one of their Service Rifles covering them.

" _Here take a seat, mailman."_

They then shoved me onto a chair. I then looked around and noticed one particular person missing.

" _Where's your boss?"_

" _We're askin' the fuckin' questions here, wiseass."_

" _Okay I've run out of patience,"_ I then cupped my hand to my mouth, _"oh Deadshot!"_

Literally one second later and a hanging chandelier light went crashing to the floor following a loud bang. They all scurried to cover and I just sat there with my arms crossed, a big goofy grin on my face. Eventually they all got back up.

" _That was a First Recon Sniper parked about twenty yards out who will shoot off your fingers if I ask him to. Now, where's Benny?"_

" _Not here. That weasel turned on us, got Mac killed,"_ I noticed a body in the back, _"took off and ran while we were getting shot at!"_

" _Why?"_

" _We were supposed to meet with a contact. A frumentarii who has access to the Strip. But things went south when he saw Benny and Benny saw him."_

" _Let me guess, he wanted the Platinum Chip?"_

He nodded.

" _We weren't gonna hand him over, though. I made that clear. When we Khans make a deal, we keep it. But he went back out on us and now we're here and that little rat is probably laughin' his ass off at us back at the fuckin' Tops."_

Shit. I practically facepalmed at that one. If Benny's in Vegas… then there's no way of getting at him. He's out of my reach and all the shit I'd to deal with has been in vain. Goddamnit.

Still, I've got a job to do right now.

" _Okay let's talk about what we do right now."_

" _I thought I made that clear. We walk or they get it."_

He pointed his revolver at the hostages.

" _Let's go over your options then."_

" _No fuckin' options! We walk or—"_

" _Do you wanna lose your fingers?"_ I asked with a grin. Yup, that shut him up.

" _Look, you've got exactly two options here. One, you try and shoot your way out in which you all die from lead poisoning. Two, you surrender."_

" _Surrender!? Are you fuckin' kidding me!? We got hostages! We'll walk."_

" _No you won't. The LT outside doesn't have the authority to make a deal like that."_

" _Then we wait for someone who does!"_

" _And then what? You know how the NCR operates. How more than anything else they don't want to be perceived as weak. So the idea of you getting away with taking two of their own isn't exactly the most appealing option."_

" _It's either that or we kill their boys."_

" _Oh the LT outside of course wouldn't agree to that. But do you_ _really_ _think that a full bird colonel, who is more than likely who they'd send down here to talk, would really give an honest shit about two scrubs who knew what they were signing up for? And if you do kill them, then they can chalk this up as justice for two brave men murdered in cold blood."_

" _That's fucking cold."_

" _It's the truth."_

" _If they come in here, then we'll kill more of 'em. We'll make those fuckin' pigs pay."_

" _Easy to talk tough when they're not at your door. If you try to fight, if you try to go out like Davy Crockett in the Alamo, they will kill you. And if you live, they'll execute you. And in both circumstances you accomplish exactly nothing."_

" _So what's the alternative, uh? Go to prison!"_

" _You can get out of prison. But you cannot get out of death."_

That stunned them considerably. I saw this utterly defeated look on the leader of the group which within seconds infected everybody else in the room. Then he did the one thing I was hoping he'd do for the last couple of minutes. He took out a cigarette and started to smoke. It was a clear sign of him trying to deal with his stress, and with the forlorn look in his eyes, he knew he was in a no win scenario.

" _How do we know this LT will keep his word?"_

" _Have you killed anybody?"_

" _No. We knocked out these two, but no we haven't."_

" _Then there's your answer."_

He took a long hard look out the door before he shook his head and sighed.

" _Okay. We'll do this yer way."_

He then approached the door and shouted at the top of his lungs:

" _Alright! We're comin' out!"_

" _Throw out your guns first! Then release my men!"_

He looked at me, and I nodded.

" _Do what he says."_

" _Better be right about this."_

" _Me too."_

One by one they placed their weapons on the ground and slid them over to the middle of the street. After that, the cut the soldiers bounds and they slowly walked out.

" _Hey, thanks for saving our asses,"_ one of them said.

" _Just doing my job."_

Once everybody filed out I followed. There just ahead was Boone and Kowalski waiting for me.

" _Nice work."_

" _Nice shot."_

" _Well I aim for perfection."_

I smiled at that.

" _Thanks for covering me."_

" _And thank you for giving them a chance,"_ he then starting looking around at the dispersing crowd of Great Khans, _"where's Benny?"_

" _He's gone."_

" _Vegas?"_

" _Yup. I've just lost my window to get him."_

" _We'll find a way, Gideon."_

" _Somehow I don't think so, Boone. C'mon, let's go join the others."_

I got about twenty feet before I saw ED-E coming at me like a bat out of hell. This time I was ready though. As he came at me, I sidestepped to the side and he zoomed right past me.

" _Too slow, buddy!"_

" _Bzztpzing!"_

He then tried to get me again and I ducked below him.

" _Oh look at that I'm too fast for you! Can you catch me?"_

I got my answer when he tackled me to the ground.

" _Sneaky!"_

He then started laughing again.

" _Ya okay Jerkface!"_

" _Never better Tipsy Danger!"_

" _Har har, don't make me get my Bazooka!"_

She then offered me a hand and I took it readily. I looked over their shoulders at the Khans, who were one by one being handcuffed and being sent over to sit in a little huddle. I headed over to the LT.

" _Thanks for gettin' my men out, Mr. Maddox. I owe you big time."_

" _So what happens to them now?"_

" _For now we'll hold 'em here till the higher ups send some Rangers to pick 'em up. They'll probably spend a week in lock up before they get traded over. So I'd say your work is done."_

" _Good, I haven't had a proper night's sleep for a while now."_

" _Did you get your package back?"_

" _No. The guy they were transporting took it and ran. I'll catch up with him sometime soon I guess."_

" _Well if you ever need my help, don't ever hesitate."_

" _Thank you, Lieutenant Monroe."_

" _Call me Johns."_

" _Sir!"_ one of the troopers came running with a backpack portable transceiver, _"We got command on the line!"_

" _That was fast. We didn't even put a call out."_

He then took the radio.

" _This is Monroe."_

" _Lieutenant, this is Colonel Moore. I understand that you have half dozen Khans captured?"_

" _Yes ma'am. We're holding them as we speak."_

" _Good. I'm on my way."_

" _Ma'am, we didn't put out a call about us capturing the Khans."_

" _I'll be there shortly. Out."_

" _That was unusual."_

" _You tell me. I figured we'd have to wait until dawn for the brass to show."_

I shook my head. I had a bad feeling about this. I turned and headed back to the rest of my people.

" _So kiddo,"_ Cass asked, _"I hear yer plannin' on headin' home."_

" _I was,"_ Kowalski answered, staring towards the ruins of this dead city. Then he strangely looked at Raul, _"I think I might be staying for a little bit though. More needs to be done."_

" _I'm glad, Chico,"_ Raul smiled, his hand on his shoulder, _"I might've actually missed you if you'd gone."_

" _So what's the word, Gideon?"_

" _Dunno, Boone. A Colonel Moore is coming down to see these people. I think she's been expecting them."_

" _Moore,"_ Boone grumbled darkly. I was about to ask, but his face and tone changed so quick I didn't get the chance as he continued, _"She'd have to be. The Brass never does anything fast unless it's with a purpose."_

" _Ya don't think she's after Benny too?"_

" _The Khans said their contact was a Frumentarii, until he demanded they hand him over."_

" _Which led to all this,"_ Veronica added, _"so yeah I wouldn't be surprised."_

She gestured to me and Boone and pointed over a ways away. I looked at Boone and he shrugged. We walked over.

" _What is it, V?"_

" _I can't stay here."_

" _Why's that?"_

" _Because of Moore,"_ Boone replied, and there it was again: a hint of spite in his tone, _"she's something of a war hero in the higher ups. Earned her Full Bird fighting the Brotherhood and the Great Khans."_

" _Oh great,"_ I groaned, _"So you think she might recognize you?"_

" _We called her the Red Bear for a reason,"_ there was a note of fear in her voice, _"She—well, really hates the Brotherhood."_

" _Okay. Stay out of sight until this is over."_

She nodded, but as she turned to leave Boone grabbed her softly by the shoulder.

" _Do you need a—uh, well, an escort?"_

She smiled slyly at him, narrowing her eyes slightly as she replied:

" _I think I'll be okay, Mr. Shades."_

She then took off into the distance. I turned and smirked at what I thought to be the most stone-hearted man I'd ever met.

" _What was that?"_

" _Nothing."_

" _Really? That didn't look like nothing."_

" _What are you implying?"_

" _Well don't get me wrong I certainly think she's an attractive woman."_

" _It's nothing like that. I'm making up for—"_

" _My own sins. Yeah you've said that, and I think you're starting to use that as an excuse. And again, that ain't necessarily a bad thing—"_

" _Do you have something better to do?"_

I laughed at that, and jokingly patted him on the back.

" _C'mon, Romeo."_

" _Call me that again and I'll shoot you."_

" _Wait, you got that reference?"_

" _I hate that play with all that's left of my soul."_

" _Hey me too. Well maybe not with all my soul."_

That's when we heard tires on the pavement. We turned and through the night we spotted headlights, and after that a really big Deuce-and-a-Half pull right up to the plaza. Seconds later, we heard aloud _thud_ as something heavy hit the ground, followed by subtler _thumps_ , one after the other,that caused the ground to shake a little like a herd of Raffalo's prowling out Kansas way.

" _Holy shit,"_ I breathed. These guys were wearing power armor. Imagine a really big seven-foot-tall super steroid knight-in-shining-armor wielding M-60's like they were toys. The helmet itself looked like an armored gasmask. Now we could hear the whine of servo's as they thundered their way forward. Something weird I noticed though was that they were each wearing what looked like massive batteries with dozens of cables running through their suits on their backs.

" _Heavy Troopers,"_ Boone answered, _"salvaged armor from the war with the Brotherhood. Had to jury rig a new power system for them."_

" _Huh."_

The four of them marched forth, creating a perimeter around… well, us. We headed back to Cass, Raul, ED-E and Kowalski. They were on edge too, especially Cass. She still had her Bazooka and M-79 in hand.

" _Easy Cass."_

" _Don't tell me these guys ain't makin' you nervous too?"_

" _Walking Tanks, Senora. We'll need more than just that."_

One of them turned to stare directly at Cass, his weapon at the ready. She glared back, her hands messaging the Bazooka. My hand went institutionally for my retrieved weapons, as much as they would do. Then suddenly the cab door opened and someone else stepped out. As whoever approached; the Heavies stepped aside. Then one of them bellowed:

" _Colonel Moore would like to speak with you, Sergeant Boone and you, Mr. Maddox!"_

I looked at Boone and he looked at me. We both shrugged and we marched over to where the LT was standing. As the figured approached, he straightened and saluted:

" _Colonel Moore."_

She saluted back.

" _Lieutenant Monroe. Are these the Khans in question?"_

" _Yes ma'am. We managed to—"_

" _And these are the men who helped bring them in?"_

" _Uh, yes ma'am, but how—"_

" _We've been monitoring the situation."_

" _Then why weren't we sent reinforcements?"_ he asked, subverting a sudden flash of anger in his eyes, _"My men and I would've been killed if it weren't for—"_

" _These men were transporting a priority target. We were waiting for the right opportunity to apprehend him."_

" _You mean you used my men as bait?"_

" _That is privileged information, Lieutenant. Be happy you've received this much."_

She then spun on her heel and stepped towards us. She was a tall woman, maybe just a few inches shorter than me. She had red hair, though a few shades lighter than Cass's and a fairly angular face with a hard look to it. She had narrowed green eyes that seemed to size me and Boone up within literal seconds; a cold intelligence locked within them that scared me.

" _Sergeant Boone, I haven't seen you since Bitter Springs."_

" _And the_ ** _testimonies_** _… Ma'am,"_ he growled, his eyes narrowing. There it was: the hatred in his eyes. The real dangerous kind of hatred. And to this, she smiled very coldly.

" _Yes, I remember."_

" _I'm assuming you two know each other?"_

" _I briefly commanded a task force that involved the First Recon, including Sergeant Boone here. And you're Gideon Maddox, Mojave Express Courier?"_

" _I see I have a fan."_

" _You've left a trail of bodies behind stretching back to Goodsprings for the past month,"_ she smiled simply, _"and when a man pisses off the Wolf's Head himself and lives… well, that certainly gets our attention."_

" _Who's we, Colonel?"_ Boone questioned.

" _Privileged information."_

" _Okay, well answer me this then. Why are you looking for Benny?"_

" _Benny Reeves is_ _the_ _Chairman of the Tops, one of three of the biggest families in Vegas, and one we know who works closely with Mr. House. So when he decides to shoot a courier hired to carry a package sent from the ruins of Sunnyvale IT Center and the Legion decides to send an entire raiding party just to get him…"_

" _You get interested."_

She smiled this creepy plastic smile. If this were any other time, I'd probably put one to her forehead. Easy Pete's words about snakes hit me home.

" _Your file said you were smart."_

" _I have a file?"_

Again the plastic smile.

" _So what do you want with us, exactly?"_

" _I want to know what Benny took from you."_

" _Can't. Company Policy #34A signed by your Foreign Affairs states that no employee shall divulge the contents of any packages delivered. Besides, I make it my business not to get involved with whatever it is I'm carrying."_

" _Except when a man shoots you in the head?"_

I gave her a deadpan stare.

" _You wouldn't happen to know where Mr. Reeves is exactly."_

I looked at Boone and he gave me a _I don't know either_ look. She shook her head and sighed.

" _Mr. Maddox, I wouldn't make this any more difficult than it needs to be."_

" _I don't know what you mean."_

" _Like the fact that you have a Brotherhood scribe hiding in_ _that_ _building over there,"_ she pointed directly behind us, _"or that robot of yours can be confiscated by the Navarro Accords?"_

My hand cleared the leather from my holsters.

" _You threatening me?"_

" _No, Mr. Maddox, I'm threatening your people. And clearly you can see you are extremely outgunned, even with Ms. Cassidy and her strange arsenal of explosives."_

" _So you apparently know everything."_

" _No not everything."_

Shit.

" _He's not here."_

" _Obviously. Do I need to send a man to retrieve the scribe?"_

Okay good. She doesn't know who she is. But I can't win this bluff match.

" _The Khans said he panicked when he met their contact. Got them in a firefight and took off in the confusion. He's probably in Vegas by now."_

" _I see. The Khans wouldn't happen to know any more precious details?"_

" _How would I know?"_

Again the plastic smile. Except this one looked a bit sadistic… oh shit.

" _Lieutenant Monroe, are the Khans secured and disarmed?"_

" _Yes ma'am, they're ready for transport."_

" _Sergeant Barnes,"_ she called to one of the Heavy Troopers, _"you may proceed."_

" _Yes Colonel."_

And then they raised their M-60's on the handcuffed Khans.

" _What the fuck!? We fuckin' surrendered!"_

" _Colonel, these men are my prisoners!"_ Monroe roared, stepping between her and the Khans, _"they surrendered lawfully and are protected by—"_

" _Don't quote laws with me, Lieutenant. By Section 3b-sub-c, enemy combatants may be dispatched if they are associated with acts of espionage."_

" _We ain't no goddamn spies!"_

" _And besides, the Great Khans are allied with the Legion, perpetrating in raids and the distribution of narcotics. This will serve as an example."_

" _Colonel this is unlawful con—"_

" _I am acting with the full authority granted to me by the President, Lieutenant. Do you really want to stop me?"_

" _Colonel Moore!"_

Suddenly Kowalski ran past us and was in front of the homicidal bitch, his face desperate and pleading.

" _Ma'am, my brother served under you at the Battle of—well, here. His name is inscribed in the monument not fifty feet behind you."_

" _Yes son, I know. I had that wall built."_

" _Then you know what those men died for then! They sacrificed their lives so that things like this wouldn't have to happen anymore! We're not raiders and we are sure as hell not the goddamn Legion!"_

" _Are we?"_

" _I've seen what they do to their prisoners! My squadmates were almost crucified tonight! We are not like them and we can't be like them!"_

" _Oh and why is that Private? See as evil as the methods of the Legion are, they work."_

" _What the hell is that supposed to mean!?"_

" _In less than a few decades, the Legion has conquered a territory half the size of ours whereas it took us centuries to reach that point. They raised an army of fanatical devotion and managed to defeat_ _the_ _most professional army next to the goddamn Enclave. All because they had no problem doing this."_

She then drew a side arm on the Khans. Before I could even move or breathe, Boone had his drawn on the back of her neck. Everybody froze. The whole fucking world froze. And now the man who'd saved my ass for the last couple of weeks had M-60's pointed at his head.

" _Uh—Boone,"_ I croaked, _"what are you—"_

" _You are not killing them, Moore."_

" _Adding Treason to Cowardice are we?"_

" _I'm done watching you murder people."_

" _Me murdering people? Last I recall, those who follow orders, not those giving them, are the ones truly guilty of whatever crimes are committed."_

" _You think your hands are clean of everything you ordered my men to do? You're dead wrong."_

" _I see. Barnes, order—"_

" _Bruja, you say one more word and this loco woman will blow you to Kingdom Come!"_

I spun around to see ED-E and Raul covering Cass who had the Bazooka pointed right at Moore. Now they had M-60's pointed at them. No. Please God no, not like this!

" _Boone, this isn't going to help us! They will kill us and then them! We will die for nothing!"_

" _I'm not letting her kill them, Gideon. I'm done being an executioner to people like her."_

" _People like me are the only reason the NCR exists."_

" _And people like you are why it's dying."_

" _Boone we can't win this Mexican Standoff!"_

" _I'm making up for my own sins."_

" _BOONE STOP!"_

Like the calm before the storm, Veronica's voice cut through the lot of us and left us all stupefied to the stop. And like a Reaper coming to collect souls she waded through the mass of gun pointing scared shitless folk until at last she was standing right next to Boone.

" _Please,"_ she pleaded softly, _"Boone you have to stop this."_

" _Ah there you are. I was wondering—"_

" _And you,_ ** _shut up_** _!"_ she snarled, _"_ _You say one more word and I will **punch** your fucking _**_head_** _from your_ ** _shoulders_** _!"_

" _I can't Veronica,"_ Boone faced her, _"_ I _just can't."_

" _I know. I know how much you've lost. Trust me, I know all too well. I know the darkness, gnawing away at your heart until there is nothing but a hollow shell. To the point that the memory of our loved ones turns to poison. That you wish you could forget them… so that you would know peace. I know, Boone. I know."_

" _You—"_ Boone's voice cracked, _"You don't know what I've done."_

" _I don't care. I lost my family. I lost the one person I could truly love. But I've found you all. People who actually cared about me without judgment, and whom I care for in return. I am not losing any of them. And I am not losing_ _you_ _."_

" _Veronica…"_

" _Put the gun down."_

My heart felt like it was gonna burst. The air felt like somebody had turned it into ice. My gut boiled like a roaring ocean. My brain kept shouting at me that we were all going to die, right and right now. That everything I loved was going out with me too.

Then, quite slowly, Boone's weapon dropped to his side and he stared out in utter pain first at me, then at everybody else, and then down at V. They stared at each other for a long moment before he did the one thing I never thought he would ever do. Tears streamed down his cheeks, his eyes looking like they were going to burst. He collapsed into her arms, V cradling him softly; tears strolling down her face too. I marched over and then embraced them both in as much of a hug as I could give.

" _Well that's all very tender."_

My head turned the bitch. I wanted to kill her right there and right now. She smiled back at me and I felt the urge to leap at her and tear her goddamn heart out. Before I could though, I felt an arm hold me back. I turned to see Cass, her face just as desperate as V and Boone's.

 _Don't do it,_ she mouthed. I felt ED-E at my shoulder. He was blocking my path from her.

" _Now Lieutenant, take your men and clear out. Sergeant Barnes?"_

" _Yes Colonel. Men!"_

I heard the clamor of weapons and men moving.

 _"You're all gonna fuckin' pay for all this!"_

 _"Ready!"_

Raul appeared at the front of our group hug and he started to nudge us away.

 _"We don't need to see this."_

 _"Aim!"_

 _"Carla please forgive me."_

 _"Shh, it's gonna be okay. It's all gonna be okay."_

 _"Fire!"_

My brain blocked out the rest. I was conscious of moving, but I couldn't feel it. I was aware of a clamor of noise, but I couldn't hear it. And when I came to… it was already too late. The execution squad was filing out back to the truck and Moore was staring at us.

She was staring at V.

 _"Veronica!"_ she called. V turned around and stared back at her, _"I'm more than certain we'll be seeing each other again very soon!"_

 _"OH NO YOU FUCKING DON'T!"_

I had my .45 drawn as I marched right up to the monster that I really wanted to fucking kill but I knew that I couldn't, not yet. I stopped right at strangling distance.

 _"If you come after my people… if I so much as even feel your goons from a mile away… I will tear your entire fucking life apart, piece by piece, and raze anything that gets in my way to the ground."_

 _"Knowing you, and what your file says about your—experiences… and your allegiances… well, I have no doubt in mind."_

She then spun on her heel and marched back to the Deuce-and-a-Half. As she mounted the door, she called out to me:

 _"We'll be watching you, Mr. Maddox. You've proven very interesting."_

And then she, and the truck, were gone into the night… just as they had come.

* * *

I crashed in the door to the apartment room the Lieutenant had given us for the night. I threw my gear onto the bed and spotted a chair just sitting there for no reason. I kicked it across the room and it shattered to a million pieces.

 _"What the fuck was that, Gid!?"_

Through clenched teeth, I snarled.

 _"I've had a long night, Cass."_

 _"So has everybody else."_

 _"You don't fucking get it do you?"_

I spun and faced her in the doorway, my fist clenched tight.

 _"Get what exactly?"_ she asked back, not even budging an inch.

 _"Everything… that I have done… for the past month…has been for fucking…_ _nothing_ _."_

 _"That is the biggest crock of bullshit I've heard in my entire life!"_

 _"YOU DON'T FUCKING GET IT!"_

She didn't even flinch. Her face was ironclad. I continued:

 _"Benny's gone. He's in a place I can't get at. He's surrounded by an army in a place you can't even take a pocket knife to! Do you know what that means?"_

 _"No why don't you fucking tell me!"_

 _"This entire month has been pointless!_ _ **Wasted**!_ _"_

 _"And when the hell did you become so goddamn selfish!?"_

 _"SELFISH!?"_

 _"You heard me. Yer gonna stand there and tell me that all the folks you've saved, and the folks_ _we've_ _saved, and you pulling Boone, Veronica, Raul and me from the brink has been for nothing!? That you fixing ED-E was fuckin' pointless too! What, ya think you did all this for revenge!? You ain't like that Gideon!"_

 _"You don't even know me!"_

 _"I know enough! I know yer the kind of man who helps people just for the sake of helpin' 'em!"_

 _"And look where that's got me!"_

I turned away and started to move towards the bed.

 _"DON'T YOU FUCKIN' WALKING AWAY FROM ME, GIDEON MADDOX!"_

I stopped in my tracks.

 _"You think this is over!? That the big quest that's had you cut your way from your way from one side of the Mojave to the other is done!?"_

 _"Because it is."_

 _"What? You fuckin' givin' up!?"_

 _"WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO DO, HUH!?"_

 _"WHY DON'T YOU FUCKING THINK WITH YOUR GODDAMN HEAD FOR ONCE!"_

That did it. I spun around and grabbed her by her shoulders and slammed her into a wall.

 _"Don't you fucking dare…"_

 _"Dare what, ya dumbass?"_

I didn't answer. I just continued to stare at her hatefully, my breath coming out hot and fumed. Her eyes locked onto me with the same hatred that I was giving her. We glared at each other for an eternity. The only noise in the room was our contorted, writhed breath.

And then something changed in her eyes. And then my whole world was consumed by her. My head went spinning for a second before I pulled her off me.

 _"Whoa, what are you doing?"_

 _"What does it look like I'm doin'?"_

Then she grabbed me by my arms and threw me onto the bed. Before I could even think she was over me and my mind went to utter bliss. It took me a full couple of seconds to break through and get her off me so I could speak:

 _"Wait… wait just a second…"_

 _"Fer what?"_

 _"Back at the Outpost… you told me… you told me that you didn't want—"_

 _"Well I changed my mind,"_ she smiled down at me, _"it's taken me gettin' almost killed fer me to realize what I want. What I really want. And I want you."_

My brain, my body, my soul… was all amiss. I couldn't think straight. My mind told me this was wrong. That I couldn't. That I shouldn't.

But my heart told me that it didn't fucking matter.

 _"You know something?"_

 _"What?"_ she whispered. I smiled softly.

 _"I've wanted this since you tried to gut me back at that bar."_

She smiled at me, and my heart soared. She closed the distance and I closed my eye. She tasted like an explosive cocktail, utterly sweet and filling. My hand stroked through her hair. I felt her fingers work through her shirt buttons.

And for the first time in anything I could remember, I let myself delve into that sweet darkness and let things take a natural course.

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

" _So unscrew this?"_

 _"Yeah. And then pull on the switch."_

 _"Okay… got it."_

The suit's hydraulics and joint servos released with a loud hiss. The suit and armor clattered to the floor. And for the first time in exactly three months my skin felt the cold pinch of actual air. It felt… refreshing… but obviously pretty damn chilling. Then I realized I wasn't wearing any clothes.

 _"Whoa I—"_

 _"Here."_

Boone took off his long coat and wrapped it around my shoulders, covering me up. I smiled tiredly at him.

 _"Thank you Boone."_

 _"Least I can do. And I wouldn't wear that armor for a bit."_

I nodded. My body felt entirely sore. It hurt to move even a little. Looking down at my bare body and you could see why. I was covered in bruises and welts, not including the stab wound in my shoulder.

As it turned out, the wound had been all that serious. While the suits armor hadn't fully stopped it, the knife had only gone in maybe an inch, maybe a little less. Which is why I decided to go with stitches instead of a stimpack. A stim is like any other drug. Use it too much and your body becomes dependent on it.

Better to suffer a little rather than never heal naturally ever again. Boone pulled out his medkit and retrieved a thread and needle.

 _"When were you combat medic?"_

 _"Seen enough wounded to learn a thing or two. Here, bite down on this."_

He handed me a piece of leather. I took it and bit down on it.

 _"Okay on three. One…"_

He poked the needle right through my wound. The pain of me being stabbed haunted me for the next minute as I bit through the leather, holding back my scream and digging my hand into his shoulder. Finally he pulled the thread and we're finished. I let myself fall onto the bed, panting softly.

 _"Son of a bitch."_

 _"Yeah,"_ he messaged his shoulder, _"you've got quite the strong grip."_

 _"Sorry,"_ I smiled at him, _"combat training."_

 _"Yeah, I know."_

We were silent for a while before I of course got tired of Mister Sandman and his awkwardness.

 _"So… that was a lot of shit."_

 _"When did you start cussing?"_

 _"Just now."_

More silence. This time he broke it:

 _"Are you gonna ask me about—"_

 _"No,"_ I replied, sitting up and running my hand over his craggy face, _"not unless you're comfortable about it."_

 _"I don't think I'll ever be comfortable about it."_

 _"I understand."_

He nodded; his eyes grieved and battered staring into my soul:

 _"Yeah you do."_

 _"Whatever ghosts are haunting you, whatever demons… you don't have to face them alone."_

He nodded again.

 _"I know. But I'm not ready… to face them yet."_

 _"Hey, I get it,"_ I soothed, running my hand over his ear and through his cropped hair, _"take as long as you need. I'm perfectly patient."_

 _"You'd have to be,"_ a ghost of a smile passed by his lips, _"Putting up with my crap for the past week."_

 _"Hey I've dealt with a hellovalot worse than you, Mr. Brooding Red Beret Killing Machine."_

 _"Clearly you hadn't been to REPCONN."_

 _"The rocket test site?"_

He nodded.

 _"Whole place was taken over by Ghouls wanting to go settle up in outer space. Plus a Mutant who talked to a deer skull."_

 _"That's sounds exciting! Tell me more."_

 _"It's a long and convoluted story."_

 _"I've got nothing but time to kill."_

 _"Well, it all started with Manny…"_


	21. Chapter XX: Bright and Early

**Chapter XX:**

 **Bright and Early**

* * *

 **Benny**

* * *

Nothing quite like a proper dame and her loving touch to get you back on your feet. I wrapped the bathrobe around my ever so fabulous body as I admired Charlene's ever so delicate and ravishing figure. Her milky white skin smooth as a baby, hair blacker than coal and finer than silk. Mmm hmm, nice in all the right places. She looked up at me with those wondrous purple eyes of hers and I gave her the most charming smile money could buy.

 _"Thank you Charlene,"_ putting forth all the gratitude I could muster in all so simple of words, _"I really needed that."_

She gave me her oh so classic pussy cat smile, her eyes playing dazzle with my brain.

 _"Always a pleasure, Mr. Reeves."_

 _"And I tell you again, call me Benny; my diamond in the rough."_

I knew the drill. Charlene was a woman of the highest order and bill. So fine and classy. But along with that package came along some greatly unneeded discipline and grace in her manners. Always professional around her clients.

 _"Of course Mr. Reeves."_

 _"Ahh."_

I waved a friendly hand towards her as I moved to the balcony to stare out at my kingdom. The rising star of the sun shining down on my Sinners Paradise. Trust me when I say this; but I ain't understating that fact. And it is a fact. Soon this towns going to be bowing down to a new ruler; one who's going to give the power right back where it needs to be.

I heard a knock at the door. I knew who it was.

 _"Come in Yes Man!"_

Sure enough, my ace in the hole came rolling in; ever so jolly as usual.

 _"Good Morning, Mr. Reeves,"_ he boomed out, _"oh hello, Ms. Jin."_

 _"Yes Man,"_ she curtseyed without moving a single line out of her beautiful positioning, _"still as chipper as I remember."_

 _"Oh yes, Ms. Jin. I am programmed to always be cheerful and chipper. Why I doubt there's a mean wire in my hard drive.'_

 _"Yes Man,"_ I called to my rather talkative 'friend', _"is it decrypted and is Swank coming up?"_

 _"Oh yes, Mr. Reeves. Why he's in the elevator right now and will be here in exactly 15 seconds."_

 _"Did he bring the_ _1948 Che'laret?"_

 _"Your wish was my command, Mr. Reeves!"_

 _"Good. Been saving that bottle for the day our fortunes would change,"_ I grinned down at Charlene, _"In more ways than one."_

She smiled her wicked smile back, and I almost wanted to take her swinging again. But business is business. Then I heard the _ding_ of the elevator and the steps that followed. Sure enough, the one man who'd been at my side since we'd been kids, never doubted my word once and had a head and hairstyle shaped like a block of wood. But don't let that be an insult; man's smarter than I could ever be with money or logistics.

I'm just the one with the imagination and drive to make our vision to come true. He however made sure I had a ground to leap from to claim my ever so shining blue moon.

 _"Sorry about last night, Swank. I was in a bit of a rush."_

 _"Perfectly understandable boss. I'd be like that too if I'd been crazy enough to run from Securitrons with machine guns."_

I smiled at that.

 _"Lady Luck favors the bold."_

 _"But curses the dead. Hey Jin."_

 _"Hello Swank."_

He wasn't even fazed by her current status on the bed. He'd seen her enough times in her truer form the many other occasions he'd walked in on us concluding business. He coughed slightly:

 _"I hate to be rude, Ms. Jin…"_

 _"Oh I understand. Man Talk."_

I couldn't help but give her a nice slap on her fine assets as she stood. Earned me a little giggle. What can I say? For a Scottish man playing a Brit, he had class. Quickly she got dressed and was out the door.

 _"Until next time, Charlene."_

 _"Until next time, Benn—Mr. Reeves."_

I smiled a little and she was out the door. I went to my bar, and grabbed us a couple glasses.

 _"So, you care to tell me what all this was about?"_

 _"Yes Man?"_

 _"With pleasure sir. What Mr. Reeves recovered was a portable data storage chip, constructed October 23_ _rd_ _, 2077 by RobCo Industries in Sunnyvale, California at the personal request of Mr. Robert House."_

 _"Jeez, that was the day the bombs fell."_

 _"Yup. Talk about delayed delivery. Continue Yes Man."_

 _"As of a year ago, our Mr. House ordered the salvaging through our agents of the Sunnyvale IT center. One month ago, the Platinum Chip was discovered."_

 _"So you're telling me House's been waiting two centuries to get his hands on this chip?"_

 _"It would appear so, my friend. Now Yes Man, what have you discovered on the chip?"_

 _"To be metaphorical sir, the fate of New Vegas."_

 _"What about the literal?"_

 _"This chip contains an enormous packet of data. Included within it are Software installation codes, hard drive manifestation Trojan Horse Viruses, Schematics…"_

 _"In English?"_

 _"To be more blunt, Mr. Carson, it would allow Mr. Houses Network to hijack and take control over all major power, control, broadcast and connection centers throughout the entire Mojave."_

 _"Like what?"_

 _"Like Hoover Dam, Helios One, Andrews Air Force Base, the Hidden Valley Complex Center… among other things."_

 _"Jeez. So this would mean he'd control the Mojave? That's Checkmate material right there."_

 _"There is more."_

 _"Do share, Yes Man. I did almost die getting this so I'd like to know what it was for."_

 _"The access codes also possess a key Military Grade upgrade soft key."_

 _"Upgrade to what?"_

 _"To all Securitron's currently under Mr. House's control. Including another thousand hidden underneath Edwards Military Stockpile."_

This time it was my turn to be surprised.

 _"Holy Moses. You're telling there's an army at the Fort? Right under Caesar's nose?"_

 _"Yes Mr. Reeves. They are located in a hidden bunker purchased by Robert House in 2073."_

 _"So not only would he control the land, he'd be able to enforce it! Benny—"_

 _"This is our chance, Swank,"_ I smiled as moved over to the table, _"our shot to live like Gods and give back to the Mojave everything House has stole."_

 _"I don't know, Benny,"_ Swank always the pragmatist, _"I mean what are we gonna be even able to do with this chip?"_

 _"Kill House, obviously."_

 _"Yeah but,"_ he pointed out the window, _"_ _he_ _built all that. None of it would've been possible without_ _him._ _"_

 _"After he slaughtered anybody who didn't agree with him and strong armed everybody else? I mean look at Freeside!"_

 _"I thought you hated Freeside."_

 _"I hate what it's become. Farkas and her do-gooders are barely able to keep the place from bleeding dry and they gotta rely on the Kings of all things to keep order. All the while jackboot punks like the Van Graff's take root. I hate them more than I did Big Sal. Sal at least knows how to play by the rules. It could've been like this place, Swank. It should be like this."_

 _"When did you become such a philanthropist?"_

 _"We grew up on Fremont ave., Swank. Now look at it."_

 _"I see the thing I don't want to ever live in again. We gotta a good thing going here."_

 _"Living like slaves? When has anything you ever purposed about the economics of Vegas ever been allowed to be pushed through? We only sit here, 'cause our tribe was easy to control and manipulate."_

 _"We were lucky."_

 _"Lucky to be bound to a machine two hundred years outta touch. He's from the Old World, Swank. He's got no place in the New. You and me Swank. We can build something better. Be truly New Vegas, not his dead Las Vegas. Give_ _the people_ _what they want, and we can get something out of it besides money or vice."_

 _"And what's that?"_

 _"A Legacy. Benny Reeves and Swank Carson, the men who saved New Vegas. We'd be the Founding Fathers of a new nation made of_ _Free Men_ _, not tyrants."_

Swank stared long and hard at the Che'laret, peering into his reflection. Then he nodded and rose.

 _"Benny, you crazy son of a bitch, you've convinced me."_

 _"Good. Now pour me some of that fine goodness."_

* * *

 **House**

* * *

In all my centuries of living, I have found that humans are more often than naught incapable of every agreeing on anything remotely regarding the concept of ideas. Especially when they think there's will work more efficiently than their opponents. Take the concept of the most useful weapon in war. In 2065, General Constantine Chase of the US Army firmly believed in the concept of mechanized foot soldiers individually capable of the doing the work of an armored formation; despite the fact that as his friend and colleague I'd purposed that the manufacturing of a robotic army would have been far more useful, and cheaper. Alas the General was a true soldier; putting his faith in actual men with boots on the ground.

It was however a decade later when he changed his mind… after the bloody stalemates forming along his fronts in Shanghai, Hong Kong, the Gobi Desert and Anchorage, Alaska. Like all desperate military men, he attempted to rectify his mistake through a wunderwaffe. A wonder weapon. He poured millions of dollars, thousands of workers, hundreds of scientists and exactly four years worth of work which all amounted to an oversized robot sitting in a hangar never to be unleashed. Once again ignoring my advice.

It is not the newest gadget that wins wars or conquers civilizations. It is information. What is the sword without the knowledge to use it? What is a bomb without knowing where to use it? To coin an old phrase: Knowledge is power.

Already it has proven its worth to me once again.

 _"Now pour me some of that fine goodness."_

If I could I would smile. Long ago I'd learned that Mr. Reeves's greatest weakness was his vice for women. It hadn't taken much to find the right one to suit both our needs. And now Ms. Jin was proving her worth.

 _"So what's our next step, Benny?"_

 _"Now that Yes Man has decoded the disk, I'm gonna go and get Julie involved."_

 _"I don't know. Getting the Followers in on this could invite a whole lotta trouble."_

 _"The Followers know people. People with tech. If we're gonna use this thing to our advantage, we need the right equipment_ _to_ _use it."_

 _"I get it. I just don't like putting our chances with those do-gooders."_

 _"Do-gooders they may be, but I trust Julie. She's got Outer Vegas in mind."_

 _"We'll need to get the other families in on this. They control the rest of the Strip that we don't."_

 _"Marjorie can be convinced. But Mortimer might be a problem."_

 _"I'm more concerned about Big Sal. The bastard maybe greedy, but he knows when the waters are churned. The moment we take out House, they'll make their own grab for turf."_

 _"Which is why we need to get our hands on House's Securitrons and the army under the Fort. With them, we'd be able to take control of the city."_

 _"And what of the NCR and Legion? Even with a thousand Securitrons, we'd never hope to fight them both off."_

 _"I don't plan to. The NCR when it comes to it is a toothless coyote. Oh they'll growl and prance, but the moment they start losing they'll roll over."_

 _"They've been trying to take this place for almost a decade now. They won't go without a fight."_

 _"By the time they've finished kicking the hell out of Caesar's boys, they'll be too weak to stop us. As I said, they'll roll over."_

 _"You better be right. The cost of this war if even one thing goes wrong would be enough to put us out of business."_

 _"Swank, when have I ever been wrong?"_

I spoke through the closed communication line to my agent.

 _"Ms. Jin, I've heard enough."_

 _"Sir, I'm in the perfect position to eliminate Mr. Reeves. Do you wish me to proceed?"_

My mind went through the dozens of equations and simulations. Knowing Ms. Jin's skill as an escort and her methods of possible assassinations; the odds did not look favorable. In the end, I knew I'd trained Benny far too well. He would see this coming. I would need an unknown element; something that he would not expect.

And I already had someone in mind.

 _"No, Ms. Jin. Continue your observations and report any new findings."_

 _"Yes sir."_

The line of communication closed and exactly three seconds more than expected my Chief of Operations spoke his equally expected protests, his voice slow and deliberate with emphasis on his every meaning:

 _"Robert… you're making a grave mistake here."_

With the channel closed, I could resume my electronic façade on my control monitor; of which I peered down upon my mercenary friend.

 _"As you have told me the last 31 occasions, Mr. Cortez."_

The ghost of a smile passed by the aged and craggy face:

" _And of which I will remind you a thousand more if necessary."_

Samuel Cortez, formerly a Captain of the late President Richardson's Tesla Corp, had been under my employ for the past ten years. Despite approaching the later part of his life, Cortez was an invaluable ally. He could quite marvelously outfight and outsmart countless opponents a quarter his age. He and his mercenaries had always been those I could delegate my delicate matters to and expect an outstanding accomplishment. However, this and the countless other… challenges, would require talent beyond Mr. Cortez and his men.

Even if he disputed such facts.

 _"Robert, may I remind you of Charlene's capabilities. You did put a great deal of money in ensuring she was up to the part. And if she isn't… my Gunners are more than capable of the task."_

 _"And as I explained, Mr. Cortez, there is a far more pressing matter than just Mr. Reeve's betrayal."_

His Germanic ancestral blue eyes glared up at me in his typical motive of annoyance, which was followed by his secondary display of the emotion by rubbing his hand through his shaven scalp down to the man's pure white beard.

 _"If you'd allowed me take the hunt to Goodsprings, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Instead, you have me play second-fiddle to this… one-eyed mailman."_

I smirked down at him.

 _"Is that jealousy I hear in your voice, Samuel?"_

 _"No,"_ he mused softly, the look in his eyes reminded me of my father patiently awaiting the inevitable conclusion to dawn upon my far younger, and admittedly, naïve mind, _"concern. This man represents a clear and present danger to us… and our entire operation."_

" _Need I remind you of Mr. Maddox's highly decorated and colorful past?"_

" _Need I remind you who he used to work for?"_

" _You were more than capable of covering your tracks."_

He shook his head amusingly:

" _I forget you can be so… blunt. Especially when you know I'm right."_

" _Is that so?"_ I teased softly, _"Tell me then. Do you doubt your own abilities that you would doubt my judgment?"_

He looked at me crossly before at last that iron discipline submerged under a veil of blankness:

" _The Legion are very distinct. But ruses are like sand… easily shifted. A prying eye can find much."_

There's no point. The man's stubbornness provides him loyalty, but can cause unnecessary frustration. So, I shall not indulge him that proverbial high ground:

" _You know why we need him."_

" _There are… other ways. My men are adaptable. Wade especially—"_

" _No. We don't need an actor, Samuel. We need something legitimate. One who knows their customs, their tongue and their ways by heart."_

He shook his head slightly.

" _Robert... you're making me… beat around the bush. So I will say what you need to hear. You need not worry about_ _my_ _loyalty… or the loyalties of_ _my_ _men."_

" _I have made you a very rich man, Mr. Cortez."_

" _And you will always trust my services so long as it remains that way. But this man, this Gideon? He is not so… simple. He is man who will never be bought, never bribed—"_

" _He can be convinced, Samuel. Gideon Maddox is and always will be a soldier at heart. He follows causes. Present him with the right one and he'll kill for it."_

" _But strip a man of that cause and what do you end up with?"_ he took a step towards the monitor, hand extended in that typically demanding approach, _"Robert… you know I respect you. And your… vision. But you still think like a 21_ _st_ _century man."_

" _Oh?"_

" _Blood-lust and speeches do not guarantee control, especially not this man? I know this man. I know how he…_ _thinks_ _."_

" _From one soldier to another?"_

" _From one_ _conquered_ _soldier to another. After the Oil Rig, I saw the futility of fighting for a flag. For Gideon… it was his losses at the Creek."_

" _Your point is?"_

" _We don't fight for_ _flags_ _anymore. We fight… for_ _people_ _."_

" _And in your case: a great sum of investment."_

He smiled his devil-may-care. A moniker I'd seen so many times in my finest employees.

" _Perhaps. And as I will continue to do so. But don't ever forget the double edge meaning to it, Robert."_

I sighed as my microprocessors peered through the varying videos and snapshots.

" _Indeed. He's certainly grown attached to his new found allies…"_

The images soon filtered onto the monitor for us both to see. Then the matter of interest came to hand:

" _So much that he would stand up to the Red Bear herself."_

" _I never denied the man had heart."_

" _But you don't trust him?"_

" _No. A lesson learned is a man becomes dangerous when he gains family."_

" _I'll take your concerns into consideration, Mr. Cortez."_

" _It is your funeral, Robert."_

Yes. Yes indeed. But I don't plan to die just yet. There is still more…much more… that needs to be done before at last… I can rest.

Las Vegas depends on it.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I woke to the cold morning chill. At first I was confused as to why there was an arm draped across my chest. But then feelings and memories explained the rest in a few seconds. I turned my head and smiled at the beautiful woman lying at my side, half buried beneath me and the covers, still soundly asleep. I brushed a bit of her hair from her eyes, tracing my hand over her ear softly.

There was a feeling in me that I couldn't describe. A feeling that warmed a little within me that grew a little more looking across at her. It was more than just happiness, I concluded. I felt something that I just hadn't over the past month. Something that cultivated despite the utter chaos of the night before; the terrible consequences that should've made me feel cold. For the first time as far back as I remembered: I was at peace.

I wanted to lie there, be there when she woke up, kiss her, tell her she'd been wonderful. But my eye closed and the feeling didn't so much as disappear as it was suppressed. The memories of the Khans, the Legion and Moore all reminded me that I wasn't safe. That she and everybody else weren't safe. That I couldn't ever afford to drop my guard; especially not now.

That's when I felt something else creep into the Witches Calderon of my mind. I felt the cold pang of guilt stab me in the back; just like back in Goodsprings, just like with Sunny. But this time around I didn't understand why. What did I have to feel guilty for? Especially with her?

That's when I saw it. I wasn't looking at Cass anymore. I was staring at another woman. A dead woman. Her beautiful face and beautiful blonde hair growing grayer and darker until they shriveled into a mangled corpse; the cold empty sockets of her eyes staring me down like my grave on that hill outside of Goodsprings.

I blinked once, and the image was gone.

" _Who the hell…"_

That was all I could ask. All I would ask. The cold air started to bite into my naked body and I shook my head.

" _Get a grip, you jackass,"_ I told myself as I fought my panic to a standstill before I shoved them back into the darkness where they belong. I'm done being undone by my past. This—whatever this is—love, lust or whatever—I'm not letting old wounds tear it down. So I got up as quietly as I could, my bare feet making slight creaking noises on the wooden floor. That's when I noticed the door was open.

" _Oops."_

I turned back to Cass and I gently pulled the rest of the sheet over her. I made my way to the door and closed it. Jesus, this thing could really use some oiling. I moved to the clump of clothes lying on the floor, tossed in whatever direction seemed most convenient at the time. Before I did though, I gave my pants a good shake. Sure enough, something fell out and started crawling away.

" _Sneaky bastard."_

It was moving fast towards the wall. I grabbed my boot and gave it a good whack. It got up and kept on running, this time towards another room.

" _Tenacious. I'll give you that."_

I pushed past the door. I realized it was a bathroom, and there in the cracked mirror was me; staring back at myself. I frowned a little at it.

" _I'm one ugly looking bastard, ain't I?"_

I approached the mirror, my hands resting on the sink as I stared long and hard at my own reflection. I shook my head and turned on the faucet. The cold water was a shock to my system as I applied it to my face.

 _You old fool._

I spun around and stared through the doorway. There was nobody there.

 _Think you can run?_

Now I stared down at the room, at the rusty old toilet and the decayed bathtub.

 _Think you can escape me?_

" _Who's there?"_

 _I'm you, idiot._

I turned back to the mirror. My reflection.

" _What?"_

There was a man there. Me. He was younger than me by at least a good ten years… and he both eyes. Eyes that looked at me with utter contempt.

 _The old fool who thinks he can run. Thinks he can live a happy life. Thinks that he can stop looking over his shoulder._

I turned back to Cass in the bed.

 _You will never have her. And she will never have you._

" _You're not real. You don't get to tell me how I get to live my life."_

 _But I do. You've never even lived a happy life before._

I heard a noise. A sickening noise. The sound of soft flesh being squished. And the pain that came with it. A pain in my left eye.

I ran my hand up to the bandaged part of my face. I felt the eye being crushed, felt the hot blood run down my face. I wanted to scream but I couldn't.

 _You will never escape who you are._

The head felt like it was on fire. I started to rip at the bandages, felt the cold air prick away at the exposed skin.

 _You will never run far enough away that we cannot catch you._

My hands clutching at the ruins of my eye, I turned back to the mirror. I saw before me the same young man, but his eye was gone. My eye. All that was left was a bloody hollow shell that ran black as much as red. Then the voice changed to one I'd heard a month ago:

 _Never enough that fate will not have its way with you._

Before me the face altered and shifted. Now I looked at the smirking man who put me in a grave. But when he spoke, it wasn't his words being spoken:

 _A life of misery and suffering._

The voice sounded like an oiled brass drum being pounded by a wartribe. Benny shifted into the darkness and what came out was haunting. A bare golden mask with hollow eyes looking to consume me. But then the mask evaporated before me. The layers of gold melted away to reveal… the woman.

She smiled sadly at me, her yellow hair waving in the wind.

 _Do you really think you could ever love again?_

Her face started to melt to a black char. It roasted to the bone as it peeled and chafed off in a flowing cloud of ash.

 _After what you did to me?_

The face was gone, replaced by a living skull that laughed out at me. That cackled in my ears.

" _Leave me alone!"_

I slammed my fist into the mirror, cracking it again.

" _Gid?"_

I froze.

" _You okay?"_

I turned, almost lethargically, back to the woman who'd made me feel alive again, wrapped in a bed sheet. But she gasped when she saw me. It wasn't just horror or disgust in her eyes it was…worry.

" _Jesus."_

I looked into the mirror, and I saw why. The left side of my face along my eye socket… was just gone. Just a weeping, decayed gap of mangled purple and bloodied flesh. A long trail of it went a little towards my ear before ending. The exit wound.

Then I saw just above my destroyed eye was the second entry point. A crater of rend bone and muscle. All in all I looked like a zombie from one of those old horror flicks. Quickly I cover my eye and turned away:

" _Sorry you had to see that."_

She crossed the distance and pulled me back around, the sheet falling to the floor.

" _I've seen a hellovalot worse than that. But it's up there."_

" _Really?"_ I asked with a smile, _"What's worse than my zombie face?"_

She returned the smile.

" _Ya really wanna know?"_

" _Probably regret it, but sure."_

" _Two Ghouls fuckin' their brains out."_

" _Yup, that's worse…do I wanna know why you were watching such a spectacle?"_

" _I was sort of tied up at the time and they got bored."_

" _Hmm, gnarly."_

" _Now, let's get that nasty piece of work covered up shall we?"_

I nodded and she turned back to the bed. My eye locked onto her swaying features…my God, I'm luckiest man alive. I heard something moving. The spider was staring up at me from the sink. I signed softly.

" _You're off the hook, you little shit. Go scurry back to where you came from before I change my mind."_

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

I heard knocking at the door and I sat up, bringing the covers over my body.

" _Come in."_

It was Boone.

" _Morning Mr. Shades… it is morning right?"_

" _It is."_

He closed the door behind him and opened the curtains; the light creeping in. I yawned a little as I rubbed at my eyes.

" _How you feeling?"_

" _Like I've been put in a dryer for a couple of hours. How about you?"_

" _About the same."_

He then dropped his bag to floor and started to pull a bunch of stuff out.

" _Whatchya got for me?"_

" _I—well, um—got you some clothes."_

My face brightened at this as I squealed a little too dramatically:

" _Ooh, is it a dress?"_

He looked at me a little funny. A tiny grin passed by his oh so serious-all-the-time face.

" _No. They were fresh out. But I'll…keep an eye out."_

His awkwardness is so cute. I decided to have some fun with it:

" _Well you better bring me the best kind then! Long flannels, bring red, oh I like red. Maybe some sparkles, but not too glittery. Low hanging, but not too much. Give a little tease of cleavage, but not an overdose. A cut line on the back. People like seeing the back. Maybe a V-line along the right leg—wait are you actually taking notes?"_

He had a little notebook out and was literally writing away in it with a pen! He looked at me a little confounded and a little confused:

" _I thought you wanted a dress?"_

I had to smile at him for that. So skilled with firearms and assassinating people from like a mile away; but not so much with women. I love it.

" _Boone… thank you."_

" _Don't thank me yet. I-uh, well I didn't know what you're…sizes were."_

" _Well this should get interesting."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

We got to the lobby after Cass took the time to bandage my face up. There we found Raul sitting with his feet across the counter, his head down, and ED-E pacing back and forth in front of the main door. He spotted us, and I held a finger up to my lips. I looked at Cass ad she returned a mischievous smile. We slowly started to creep up on the sleeping Ghoul and got to about pushing distance when he then spun around to face us:

" _Bang."_

He had his Model 29's drawn on us.

" _Usted y su pareja están muertos."_

" _Jesus, the kid was right,"_ Cass laughed. He smirked softly:

" _Como? That I have some 'Radioactive Super Powers?' No, I'm just old."_

" _I'm guessing you heard us?"_

" _No I smelled you._ _Ustedes dos tienen un buen rato anoche?"_

" _Oh."_

I decided to change the subject.

" _How's everybody else?"_

" _Well Boone went out and came back about ten minutes back. El Pequeño y mi been watching the front—"_

" _You sleep at all?"_ Cass asked, to which he shrugged.

" _Un poco. I don't need much. Mi cuerpo works different than yours."_

Then I spotted soldiers moving past the front carrying boxes.

" _Q-Office,"_ Cass answered, _"must be here ta get everythin' I didn't."_

" _Mmm hmm. Los motores de la casa been here since four. Started with bodies, then more bodies, y ahora guns."_

" _We get any visitors?"_

" _Ya mean all those crazy minded broads, pardner? "_ ED-E sang aloud, _" Ain't ought none of that sort! "_

" _Good,"_ I yawned, _"I've had my fill of gunfights for the week."_

" _So jefe, what's next?"_

I shrugged my shoulders, but Cass had my answer:

 _"Well fer one, I'd like ta eat something that ain't freeze dried, or watered down in ta goop. 'Sides, I think I got an idea 'bout our predicament."_

 _"Well, recordar que sopla al infierno bar from last night? Well, I've been hearing from them about the barman, this gato Ike, been gritando en la parte superior de sus pulmones that they can't close down his bar. I hear he pulled out a double barrel on them."_

Cass smirked at this.

 _"I like him already."_

I nodded.

 _"Sounds like a plan. ED-E, you wanna go get the others?"_

 _"No need,"_ Cass snickered from behind me, _"You two went shoppin'?"_

 _"Huh?"_

I spun around and I saw why. I couldn't help but laugh a little. Veronica was wearing a white tank top two sizes too large, the material loose and dragged enough that you could see glimpses of her black lined bra, and blue jeans that made her legs look like sausages. She looked up at us from under a tan ballcap and simply shrugged.

 _"You clearly haven't worn burlap. This isn't so bad. He at least got my boots right… and bra size."_

We all gave Boone the ' _oh really'_ look and he lit up like a tomato. I mean this guy was the definition of embarrassed.

 _"I'll make this up—"_

 _"Don't you worry about me, Sly,"_ she chuckled softly followed by a playful jab to his arm, _"I'll teach you the finer points in women clothes shopping when we get the chance."_

 _"Sly?"_

I couldn't help but laugh. First at his reaction and at V's _see what I did there_ smile.

 _"My idea. Called you Sylvester."_

 _"Who's Sylvester?"_

 _"Wait, you're telling me you've never seen Loony Toons!?"_ Veronica exclaimed. When he shook his head, she face palmed, _"Boone, you philistine! We really need to get you caught up on your entertainment history!"_

 _"…What's a philistine?"_

Now Cass, Raul and ED-E had joined me in laughing our asses off. Boone just looked utterly confused, which just made it all the more hilarious.

 _"Don't worry about it, buddy."_

 _"I…feel I should be."_

 _"Well don't. Hey you guys hungry? I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat."_

 _"After you, Bossman."_

I took point, followed by ED-E and Cass with Raul, Boone and V taking up the rear. I brushed past the doors, donning my boonie and shades as the morning sun gave vintage to the utter destruction from last night. All around us was nothing but ruin, craters, smoke and a whole lot of soldiers running around. These guys were wearing a different kind of uniform however. Instead of the drab tan overalls, they were wearing olive green jump suits and 8 Point utility covers with the Roman numeral _V_ followed by _class_ sewn on their shoulders.

 _"5_ _th_ _class,"_ Cass explained, _"the Q-Office is split up by ten classes. V's are ordinance disposal."_

 _"Make sense."_

My hand trailed close to the Browning. Q-Office guys or not, I'm not exactly in a trust-NCR mood today.

" _So how's the suit doing, un extrano?"_

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"Well you're out here, wearing este desajuste. I'm assuming you broke it?"_

 _"No, but it does have a pretty decent sized hole in the shoulder. Besides, I figured it was time to take it off anyway."_

 _"I see. I could take a look at it. I am pretty good at aparejo jurado."_

 _"Yeah. You're work with the sodabottle silencers proves that much."_

 _"Sodabottle—wait what?"_

 _"A little trick I picked back en el Álamo de San Antonio."_

 _"Wait, you've been to the Alamo?"_

 _"Si. Still being used as a fort by your crazier cousins… well the last time I was there."_

 _"The Texas Expedition? We haven't heard from them in years. What were you doing there?"_

 _"Wandering. I tend to do that. Go from place to place, get shot at and fix things. Though that was not as bobo as my time in Orleans."_

 _"Is there any place you haven't been to?"_

 _"Boone, mis amigo, you know that song by Juan Cash? You know that one where he's been everywhere?_ _Well, you're looking at el_ _auténtica reencarnación de esa obra maestra musical."_

 _"I believe it."_

I felt Cass nudge me softly in the shoulder and I turned my ear towards her as she whispered:

 _"So the mirror… that wasn't 'cause of me was it?"_

 _"What, no. I was—having a sort of nightmare. Nothing to do with you."_

She smiled slyly.

 _"Yer a bad liar, but at least you ain't that bad in the sack."_

I chuckled softly:

 _"The stamina on you, woman,"_ that earned a chuckle from her, _"But I'm not lying about the mirror."_

 _"What'd you see?"_

My hand traced up to my bandaged eye.

" _Dunno. A bunch of faces mocking me. Feels like the ghosts from the Christmas Carol."_

 _"The what?"_

 _"Story about this grumpy old rich guy named Scrooge. Treats people like shit and all that jazz. So on Christmas Eve, he gets visited by a bunch of ghosts. Show him his past, present and future. Freaks him out so bad he turns into a—uh, there's a name for it. But he turns into a nice guy."_

 _"Wow,"_ she smiled sarcastically, _"no wonder they nuked the world. People back then were brahminshit nuts! So, ya thinking they could be from yer past or somethin'?"_

The memory of the decaying blonde woman kept on prodding at me anytime I'd look at her. I banished it away everytime, but it kept on trying to escape; pounding away like some demented neighbor on the front door. I just shook my head.

 _"I don't know. I just don't know. And you know what? I don't care."_

She looked at me with sympathetic eyes that made me feel worse.

 _"Look, if it's me yer worried about me—"_

 _"Cass, whatever this stuff is… I'm not letting it come between you and me. Not now and not ever."_

She smiled up at me and kissed me softly on the cheek.

 _"Sounds like a plan…Jerkface."_

 _"Tipsy sipper."_

 _"—A recent attack by the Legion on the military bases surrounding the defensive line by Boulder City were repulsed by the valiant defenders of Camp Gulf and the Boulder City ruins. NCR analysts have estimated enemy casualties to be approaching the low hundreds. In addition, a pack of Great Khans running narcotics up to the troubled streets of Freeside and Outer Vegas were killed in the resulting gunbattle between the Crimsons and our boys in brown. Lieutenant Colonel Cassandra Moore had this to say on the matter:_

 _"Let this be a warning to Papa Khan and anyone else who sides with Slavers and Murderers. You're days in the Mojave are numbered."_

" _The queen bitch,"_ Cass cursed.

" _I see the Colonel's taking advantage of the slaughter,"_ Boone commented rather calmly, _"another advance in her military career."_

There was bitterness in that last part.

" _Not the first time, I'm guessing?"_

" _Not even close, Gideon. Not even close."_

Suddenly there was a boisterous call from inside the saloon.

" _So you must be Maddox! Monroe's told me to keep an eye out for you!"_

We entered the saloon and there standing at the head of a giant U shaped bar was an older man with a battered face and one seriously impressive mustache came out from the back; holding an extremely large caldron. Oh yeah, that smells like good ol' fashion barbeque.

" _You must be Ike."_

" _Dwight Ukieley at your service. Well for the next fifty minutes that is."_

" _Why, you closin' shop?"_

" _That I am. I mean look what those fuckers did to my bar!"_

The walls were, well, shot to pieces. Hell not even shot to pieces, more like blown through like that Big Bad Wolf with those stupid pigs.

" _Mama once told me to cut my losses when the tide gets ridiculous. Well, add explosive to ridiculous and you've got a business going out!"_

The smell soon drew my attention to more pressing: my stomach.

" _I'm assuming that's for us?"_

" _That it is. 'fore Monroe and company left, they dropped off a pile of caps to pay for the grandest meal I could come up with. Considerin' I'm still standing, well… I figured I'd test my new recipe on you fine looking folks. Now if you feel the sudden urge to eat each other's faces from the power of my brew, then I've done my job right."_

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

"— _Tensions build between the NCR settlers and the ruling gang of Freeside known as the Kings. Already several instances of violence have been counted and the situation is expected to escalate. The mysterious leader of the gang, who would only identify himself as the King, had this to say to a News Eye-bot:_

" _Now let me perfectly clear with y'all. We didn't ask for this rattlesnake dance, but we got it. The NCR ain't nothin' but the Devil in disguise. They ain't no friends of mine and certainly not with Freeside. If you know what's good for you, I'd have a mass return to sender before things get further outta hand and trust me… they will."_

I shook my head at the news. Ol' Presley, you always gotta pick yer fights against folk bigger, meaner and nastier than you. After seein' what they did those surrenderin' Khans… well, I don't doubt they'll do the same to you, too. Maybe we can both do each other a favor and I'll talk you outta doin' something royally stupid.

" _That boy's gonna get himself killed,"_ Ike replied, shaking his head all the while, _"NCR wants Freeside, and if that means the Kings get run over, well by God or Gods or whatever else they'll gladly do it with a steamroller."_

" _Are things as bad as they say they are?"_ V asked him. He nodded.

" _Mr. New Vegas has the unfortunate habit of sugar coating. See the problem there all stems from the same thing."_

" _Vegas."_

" _Yup. Hundreds of folk from out west come here, gamble away their life savings and lose everythin'. So where do they go? Well, some got the stones to crawl back home, but most are stuck here."_

" _Squatters?"_ She asked. Again he nodded.

" _In the most violent of terms. See, there are already about four hundred, mebbe even five hundred folk in Freeside and Northern Vegas alone. Add another couple hundred strangers with no caps, and no manners of any sort… well, things gonna get ugly real fast."_

" _Why don't the NCR ship them out?"_ Gideon asked, _"Resources or not, it wouldn't take much to point them in the right direction and give them the boot."_

"' _Cause they don't want to."_

They all looked at me. I pushed my plate aside and got to explainin':

" _That boy we were hearin'? Well, that's the King of the Kings. Could say he's the literal king of everything the Families don't fuckin' own, but he won't ever claim it. But he's always had a bone ta pick with the Republic. Whole reason why everything outside of the Strip ain't part of the NCR."_

" _So what? They want him dead?"_

I nodded.

" _You can't seriously think—"_

" _Boone, I've lived in Freeside. Hell, I ran my caravan for months there, dropin' off water and food when we could. Let me tell ya, the Kings and those Follower do-gooders were barely able ta keep things civil. But once all those extra mouths showed up, things got bad. And I mean guns in faces bad. That was just barely a couple months ago."_

" _And considering what Moore did last night—"_

I nodded.

" _They want a war. They want him ta go over the edge. Then they'll have an excuse ta go in and kill 'em all. And then you can add one more City-State to the Republic's banner."_

"' _Let them have cake.'"_

" _Huh?"_

Veronica smiled her ol' embarrassed smile at me:

" _Sorry, old history."_

Okay… Then Gideon looked me hard with that snake-eye of his:

" _You said you had a way out of our predicament. I'm assuming it has something to do with these guys?"_

I nodded and I unfolded the plan:

" _Look, we can't buy our way into the Strip. It costs about 2,000 caps ta buy a passport… per person. Even if with the haul we got, we can't get near 'nough ta get one fer each of us. But I know the Kings… and their King. He'll help us, but we may have ta do a couple of favors for him."_

" _What sort of favors?"_ Boone asked, his tone already tellin' me he didn't like where this was goin'.

" _More than likely? We're gonna have ta mess a few people… and potentially defuse a war for him."_

Whole room was silent. Gideon looked like an old midnight cat tired of fightin'; somberly wastin' away in a corner. Hell, could say the same fer everybody in the room. Then he took out that long throat-slitter of his and seemed to be starin' at his own reflection for a good long while…

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

 _Sic Vis Pacem Parabellum._ It means _'If you want peace, prepare for war'_. These words are what have defined me for my entire life, but now? I shook my head and sighed. I felt utterly tired, but not just the kind of usual tired.

I felt a fatigue right to my bones, settled in my mind. Part of me wanted to just sit here for an eternity, sit here and stew in my own self-pity. But I can't. I can't just sit here and think how things went so wrong because they did. There's nothing I can do to change any of that; I can't change the fact that I was shot or that a lot of innocent folk were killed along the way up here.

I thought back to last night. Back to my little spat with Cass… what she said about what I've done up until this point. That none of it was just over my quest for revenge. That I did what I did because folk were in danger.

I can't let this go. This is beyond me now. Beyond just me getting shot. Because let's face facts, I was saved by Goddamn Angels over the millions of other scrubs left on this blown-to-Hell Earth. Millions of people… and they chose me.

I have to believe there is a reason to that madness. I have to believe I was chosen for a purpose. And yeah you could say that's insane. You're absolutely right. But I know I'm right and right now there's going to be a war in the streets…unless we can stop it.

I've been given a chance to live. Well…I need to earn that right. Benny…I'll get you eventually, but right now I've got some lives to save. I took one last look at my ugly mug before I sheathed it.

" _Okay."_

" _Okay?"_

" _Regardless if this is our way in or not, we need to deal with this one way or another. So, I'm in. What's our next move?"_

" _Whoa wait yer askin' me?"_

" _This is your show Cass. You're plan. And I'll follow it gladly. But I won't speak for the rest of you,"_ I looked hard into the faces of the people who'd followed me this far on my crazier than Hell crusade and who'd faced the odds at my side and were somehow still sitting here; eating barbeque, _"that's something you need to decide yourselves."_

" _You know my answer,"_ Boone answered almost immediately.

" _Count me in,"_ V followed next, _"besides, I need to get me some new clothes and don't give me that look, sour-puss."_

" _ED-E? You don't have to keep following me around if you don't want to."_

" _Wrong 'bout that one pardner! Gonna keep on ridin' along the mellow plains. By your siiiiddeee! "_

" _Well that was dramatic."_

That left only one person. He chuckled softly and crossed his arms.

" _What? I don't have a grand speech for you loco gringos._ _Pero si. Estoy contigo hasta el final de la linea."_

Cass looked at each of us and just shook her head.

" _So this must be what you feel like most of the time."_

I grinned at that.

" _Well, not always."_


	22. Chapter XXI: King's Favor

**Chapter XXI:**

 **King's Favor**

* * *

From over the long rolling hills overlooking the ten-mile-long dry bed that once had been a lake and a then a time later a race track; now a dry wasteland full of bones and monsters: stood one single figure. The wind tugged at his pants, the flannels of his long trenchcoat blowing with it like the cape of some comic adventurer. Sand and dust blew across the figures ragged and chiseled face, his arctic blue eyes looking out across the world. Every fifteen or so seconds he would move his hand over his bedraggled, graying black hair and onto the crown of his faded gray fedora; centering it before he would place his hand back in his coat pocket. He watched through the remains of an old highway choked with wrecked cars and tumbling buildings a single 1963 Land Rover speeding past the ruins of a long dead civilization.

They soon exited out of the interpass and were now on a fourway road heading north. Running his eyes along the many canyons and hills: he found himself staring at a city he hadn't stepped in corporeal flesh for almost two centuries. He grimaced at the blaring reflected light from the many tall buildings that had been in an age of fashion where steel refinement had been an absolute norm. During the day, it was as ugly as any other unwelcome spec of stone and mortar in a land of sand and dust. It wasn't until the darkness fell and lights came on that its truer, vice ridden and narcotic drenched atmospheric air came to be.

Of course, it had always been like this. Even when it was called Las Vegas. When he'd been made of flesh and blood, and not… whatever the hell he was made of now. He shook his head, and produced from his pocket a smoke to which he took a slow delight with. As his ice cool blue eyes where highlighted by the burning fire: they gazed out at the greater world far ahead and all around him.

" _Nothing ever changes,"_ he mused softly. Then he heard a sudden whimper in the air behind him and soon after that a subtle, almost indistinguishable impact on the hard wind whipped stone plateau. The grace of those steps as they slowly ascended the hill were all but obvious to him. Without turning, he addressed his handler:'

" _Advena."_

" _Arcanum."_

Her voice was soft and sweet, like the chorus of a joyous Boston symphony; light and quick as the wind that blew past them both. Slowly, surely, she joined him on the overpass. As he took a slow puff, the burning smoke billowing out into the breeze: his eyes darted to her. The gale tugged at her long scarlet silk flannels: the breeze at the peacock feathers perched upon her silver tiara. He grimaced slightly.

She still wore the same attire of her previous profession: with the long black pantyhose's over her milky white legs followed by dancer's heels, the scarlet sleeves on her arms and hands, the form fitting leather corset. But it wasn't her attires, as striking as they were and meant to be, that always aroused him around her. No, it was that flowing vail like hair that flowed with the wind, the velvet of her cunning eyes, and when she lowered her silk mask: the cherry-like full lips still lain with lipstick. She looked like something out of a fairytale, he told himself as he told himself a thousand times before. As he had the first time he'd lain eyes upon her, two hundred lifetimes worth a country away.

Yet looking at her, and seeing her in these clothes, always made him ache somewhat. It reminded him of that night… the night that had sent him on this road: the road of miserable vengeance until at last it led him to the grave, and somewhere miraculously down the line: here. He took a puff of his cigarette before he asked:

" _Here to lecture me again, Advena?"_

" _You know the rules. We aid when we are needed, but never do we share premonitions of the many futures."_

" _It wasn't that much of a spoiler,"_ he smirked, _"just giving him a little hint of the nightmare we're going to drop him in. Afterall, didn't you do the same not four days ago?"_

She frowned at him:

" _That was different."_

" _Was it? Was it really? Way I see it: you gave him a warning. I did the same."_

" _In more words than was needed. You know what happens when mere humans witness the perils of the future."_

" _Don't remind me."_

" _I feel I do. In trying to prevent or succeed that future, they will inevitably fulfill it by merely intervening in it."_

" _As I said: don't remind me."_

" _Nick…"_

" _Don't call me that,"_ he snarled, whirling on her on the spot, _"I haven't been human for over two hundred years, so don't ever remind me of that."_

" _And yet you still act as brash, as impulsive, as your detective days."_

He snorted:

" _I thought you found that attractive."_

" _As you said: we're not human anymore,"_ she gripped his hand tightly, _"If you continue to disregard the rules, to be so… so… damned carefree about your—"_

" _My what, Advena?"_ he scowled, _"What exactly is this? A job? A curse?"_

" _A gift, Arcanum,"_ she pleaded softly, _"we were given wings for a reason."_

" _Yeah? Well I don't see that reason anymore,"_ he stared again out at the dead and dying world, _"Y'know what I see when I look at this place? I see a graveyard, full of the walking dead. Miserable and broken. And it's been that way for two hundred Goddamned years! And don't you dare say 'don't take his name in vain'! In fact, why don't he smite me right now!? Get this over with—"_

She smacked him across the face and sent him staggering. With writhing anger born from desperation, she shouted at him:

" _I have had it with your self-fucking-pity! With your self-destructive antics! I defended you! You hear me!? I defied_ ** _Him_** _for **you**! I begged and pleaded for _**_Him_** _to give you another chance! And this is how you repay me!?"_

" _I didn't ask to be saved!"_

" _Well too-fucking-bad! I will not lose you again!"_

" _You lost me the night I found you dead in that alley."_

" _Is that what this is about? Or because you know in the end, I'm right?"_

He shook his head:

" _I looked into his future, Advena. I saw what that bastard was going to do. What he's still going to do."_

" _There was good too. He could've formed a nation built on honor and brotherhood—"_

" _You don't get it. You just don't get it. I looked into his soul, and what I saw was pure and utter evil."_

" _He was still in your charge. It is not our job to tell the world how to spin. That makes us no different than the Fallen."_

" _Maybe they had the right idea. I tried to change him. I tried to shift him on the right path."_

" _But by showing him_ _that_ _future you were so desperately trying to avoid, you simply put him on that path. The path he is on now… and then you tried to kill him."_

" _Had I been a few seconds faster, thousands wouldn't be dead or in chains."_

" _And there would've been nothing left to recover you from."_

" _Why do you care so much about me?"_

" _Because I still love you, you stupid bastard."_

" _It's been two hundred years."_

" _A mere moments passing."_

" _Even after…"_ he froze midsentence, staring first at her and then turning slightly down into the valley, at the wrecked remains of a Sunset Sarsaparilla sign and the burning camp fire still smoldering there. His eyes locked with the figure sitting there, strumming a guitar along. She walked alongside him, pressing against him.

" _Even then,"_ she whispered softly. They both noticed the Rover coming into view, and Advena waved her hand just slightly. The vehicle deviated, taking another road around. He looked at her strangely. She shrugged:

" _It's not their time to meet yet."_

" _Then when?"_

" _Soon,"_ he replied, turning away from as she started to walk down the hill. She stopped in midstride and addressed him again:

" _You've been given another chance, Arcanum. Don't ruin it for yourself… or for me."_

And with the rising breeze she was gone. He shook his head and sighed. He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out another cigarette. As the smoky fire iminated from his mouth like a dragon, he shook his head as he watched the Rover approach the city:

" _It's going to be a bumpy night, Gideon. I hope you're ready."_

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

" _I left my home Norfolk, Virginia, California on my mind!_ _I straddled that Greyhound and rode into Raleigh and on across Carolina! "_

Y'know, I find it really convenient, and awesome, that we're going to meet a man who styles himself as Elvis Presley reborn and now we're hearing one of his song! One of my favorite songs I might add! I found myself jingling in my seat, snapping my fingers as we went driving along. Boone looked across at me strangely and I just smiled at him.

" _We had motor trouble that turn into a struggle, halfway across Alabama, and that hound broke down and left us all stranded in downtown Birmingham! "_

I turned in my seat when I heard a totally different tune to the music and I saw Raul doing a little jiggle in the back seat, singing along with the rest of the song. He smiled that toothy smile at me and I went along with the number!

" _Right away I brought me a through train ticket, ridin' across Mississippi clean. I was on that midnight flyer out of Birmingham, smoking into New Orleans! Somebody help me get out of Louisiana! "_

I then heard Cass and Gideon beating along with the tune, Cass a bottle jittering on the window and Gideon tapping on the steering wheel. And when the next verses came, they leaned over and started singing to each other:

" _Cut your engines and cool your wings and let me make it to the telephone. Los Angeles give me Norfolk Virginia tidewater four ten o nine! "_

I elbowed Boone and he looked at me blankly. I smiled at him:

" _C'mon, sourface! Get in the groove!"_

He crossed his arms and continued to look at me blankly:

" _You do realize Elvis is dead, right?"_

Boone, you musical illiterate! I was going to say something to this partypooper, but Raul beat me to it. He leaned over and shouted in his ear:

 _"No, Elvis is not dead! He went home!"_

He deadpanned him, deadpanned me, deadpanned everybody in this beat-up car and just shook his head. He started tapping his foot along with the beat but I just shook my head at him, grinning all the while:

 _"C'mon, get in the groove!"_

I started rolling my arms and doing all the other moves I'd learn watching all those funky dance flicks. But he just shook his head and just kept his arms crossed.

 _" Tell the folks back home this is the promised land calling and the poor boy is on the line! "_

 _"V,"_ Gideon leaned over his chair and just grinned at me, _"You'd have more luck getting a Rad Scorp to dance than—"_

 _"Whoa watch out!"_ Cass screamed from the front. Right in front of us was a wrecked Herse! Yes, I know its paint faded and it's been wrecked beyond any kind of recognition, but do you know any other vehicle with a back that long? I didn't think so. Gideon whirled around and just barely scraped past the wreck. Cass then proceeded to slug him in the shoulder.

 _"Ow!"_

 _"Watch the fuckin' road, dumbass!"_

 _"Do not make me pull over, woman! Oh wait, never mind we do need to pull over."_

 _"Wait what,"_ I leaned forward in my seat, _"Why?"_

 _"Chica, the last thing we need is to drive down Fremont Ave. full of los oprimidos desesperada del mundo. This thing would be gone in exactly treinta segundos."_

 _"What, this hunk of junk? I doubt you could get it for five caps."_

Gideon leaned over his seat and gave me the cold eye. Oh boy.

 _"Don't insult this hunk of junk. This hunk of junk has gotten us through thick and thin, and will continue to do so long as we take good care of her."_

 _"Her?"_

 _"Yes, her. I haven't come up with a name for her yet, but when I do I will let you know."_

Cass cackled at this:

 _"You are so full of shit!"_

He smirked back at her:

 _"And proud."_

We then pulled in under the shadow of a crumpling overpass. Guess it should be out of sight from all the usual crazy suspects, but I still have my worries.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I put the Rover into park and everybody piled out, all except for Raul. He scurried over the seats until he was in the driver seat.

 _"What are you up to?"_

He wiggled his mustache at me and produced a chain, a piece of rebar and a padlock:

 _"A little trick I picked up back in Houston. Don't need burros_ robar _nuestro paseo, if you catch my drift."_

 _"Oh I catch. Good thinking."_

 _"What I'm here for. Y para molestar a la mierda de ustedes."_

 _"And to give me advice on my love life, eh Raul?"_

He gave me a toothy grin:

 _"You know me all too well, jefe."_

I chuckled and headed to the front with everybody else. Cass came from the back with yet another duffle bag. Veronica somehow read my mind:

 _"Do you have an infinite number of duffle bags, or perhaps some duffle bag producing superpowers?"_

 _"Girlie, if I had that sort of mojo, I wouldn't be wastin' it on makin' bags."_

 _"Sí que estaría haciendo tequila y conseguir mierda enfrentado durante semanas."_

 _"What was that?"_

 _"Nothing."_

She just shook her head and threw the bag onto the hood.

 _"Okay, all your guns in here."_

 _"Why?"_ Boone asked, but I quickly explained:

 _"Simple Boone. As of now we are all a bunch of walking armories. And that's probably going to make some people nervous. Am I right, Cass?"_

She nodded.

 _"Plus it's Hollow's Eve tonight. There'll be kid's 'round an' last thing we need are angry parents chasin' us 'round with rolling pins."_

I laughed at that.

" _Why that happen to you?"_

 _"Well… no."_

Veronica jumped right in on the proverbial embarrassment by promptly escalating it:

 _"Oh really? I'm picturing it right now! Thirty some odd old people chasing you around with walkers and beer bottles, with you making off with a bag full of your misbegotten stolen candies! Oh, the weeping children."_

 _"Listen smartypants,"_ she snipped back with an accusing finger, _"First, I mebbe many things, but stealin' candy from kids just fer the hell of it ain't one 'em. Second, Freeside's been good ta me and the King's a friend so I ain't 'bout to piss either off. And third… I'm half tempted ta stuff you in this bag and bury you out in the middle of desert."_

Unrelenting, with a wide sly smile on her face, V was ready with an immediate reply:

 _"And I'll just dig myself up and keep coming back to haunt you!"_

 _"Whatever. Sidearms only and only if ya got a coat to hide 'em in. Rest go in here."_

I nodded and tossed Lowlight in, followed by Cass with her shotguns. Reluctantly, Boone followed suit and tossed his rifle in. We all turned to Raul, who was busy wrapping his handcannons up in a blanket.

 _"What? Out of sight, out of mind."_

* * *

 **Pacer**

* * *

I hate comin' here. This place, these people, they ain't the kind I'd normally be dealin' with. Maybe dealin' 'em a bad hand, but makin' deals with 'em? Not my usual pace, pun fully intended. But way things are, and those Republican boys poundin' on Presley's door… I don't got much choice. I took the back alley, milling through the crowds of millier folk buyin' last minute things for the festival tonight.

I don't need to be seen with these jack-boot thugs, much as I need 'em.

 _"Much as Presley needs 'em,"_ I whispered to myself. Ain't doin' this just for myself, I'm doin' this for the man I grew up with. The man I called brother. I am my brother's keeper, and that means I gotta do the worst if it comes to it. Worst, but necessary. I looped around the back and came across the back entrance. Sure enough Jean-Baptiste, Gloria's big gorilla brother, was waitin' for me.

 _"Took your fucking time, Pacer."_

 _"Still tryna talk tough, Chief? I don't mind throwin' down right here, right now."_

That fuckin' butchers smile came over his big, smug black face. I just held my eyes on him as I moved up to him. He sneered:

 _"Just 'cause you got in bed with my sister don't mean I can't bust your face."_

 _"Yeah? Well I disagree."_

He gave this smirk that kinda scared me. But I didn't show it. Then two more 'employees' came out and started to frisk me. Of course they found my piece, and my silver, and my comb. I ain't here to go shootin', much as I would like to.

 _"We done with these formalities? I'd like to get on with business."_

He snorted and walked me inside. Place was still dark and had that weird smell of ozone. Then again, ain't surprising considerin' the heat they got packing here. Walked through some halls till we finally got to the main lobby. It was a room with multiple cage fences installed for grubby customers. And there sitting on the table full of beautiful instruments ash and goo was the woman here.

 _"Hiya Gloria,"_ I smiled as I crossed the room and kissed her softly on the cheek, _"miss me already?"_

She was a fine woman, a few shades lighter than Ape-Baptiste with short cropped hair and icy blue eyes that could pierce your soul of all lies and faults. She was mighty fine creative in bed, if a bit dominative. Though it wasn't anything you could put a ring on.

 _"Hey Pacer,"_ she smiled, _"glad you could join us."_

 _"Y'know me. Deal maker, right?"_

 _"Quite. Especially with your 'escalations' with the NCR, and undercutting business… I see you obviously need to come to me."_

 _"Hey business is business. I look the other way on your dealin' and we make a few of our own,"_ I grinned, running my hand up her thigh, _"I wouldn't mind makin' a few more tonight after our 'other' things are made and done."_

She gave me a cold look, and I withdrew my hand. She sighed and shook her head:

 _"Pacer, my love, you play games when we're to begin war."_

 _"I'm as committed to this as you are, Gloria."_

 _"Are you, Pacer? Are you?"_

She gave this cold fuckin' stare like a killer after his fresh victim. I couldn't bear the intensity of it, so I looked away. She scoffed at me.

 _"Perhaps you need a reminder of what happens to people who fail me… or cross me."_

She wiggled her finger and two men… Oh shit, Jacob. They had him tied up and gagged, and he looked like he went nine rounds with a bull and came out crawlin'.

 _"Oh God, Jacob,"_ I turned to Gloria, who had a face of stone, _"What is this?"_

 _"I told you, Pacer."_

They threw him into a chair, two men holding him by the shoulders.

 _"Look if this is some kind of lesson—"_

 _"Like you, Jacob and I were close. You've seen firsthand of our commitment. You even participated in some of our many moments. But as I warned you, I am a very jealous woman. And like you, he told me he understood."_

 _"Oh God,"_ I held my hand up to my mouth, _"Jacob, what did you do?"_

He looked at me with desperate, dog beaten eyes.

 _"I chanced across him at Gomorra with a two-cap whore. And as you can understand, I was not very pleased."_

 _"Gloria, you don't need to kill him."_

 _"I want you to understand that even someone as close as him should never attempt to cross me."_

 _"Gloria, I understand."_

 _"Do you?"_

 _"Yes."_

She smiled at me, and my heart sank into my tummy.

 _"Never cross a Van Graff. You_ _will_ _know this. Jean."_

He stepped forward with a Laser Rifle in hand and aimed it at his head.

 _"Jacob, I'm sorry."_

And in a literally flash, he was gone. Gone into an ash pile. She then caressed my cheek and brought me round.

 _"I expect full payment tonight. Jean will handle the transaction. Oh, and,"_ she leaned over and sucked me fully. I was too fuckin' petrified to move, and even more so when broke off me and smiled again, _"I think I'll take your offer tonight. Afterall, the bed will be a great deal more spacious just with the_ _two_ _of us."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

It was about two miles before we hit Outer Vegas. And trust me, you only needed to get one to tell where you were going. From what I understand, the entire length of Freemont and Freeside Avenues had a giant wall of steel and scrap metals built around them just shortly before the NCR showed up in the Mojave. I'm not kidding. Through the ruins of dozens buildings was a literal metal wall that in certain places caught the sun and hurt like a son of a bitch looking at it.

Cass smirked at me when she saw me looking away:

 _"Now you know why folks call it the Glare Wall."_

 _"Yeah. How the hell they build it in the first place?"_

 _"House,"_ Boone replied from behind us, _"my CO said he put them up for us."_

 _"He has an army of robots and he needs a wall?"_ Veronica laughed, _"What is he? Overcompensating?"_

 _"Not the weirdest I've heard about him."_

 _"Explain, Raul."_

 _"Well, as you piel suaves know, I was around a good while before el mundo se prendió fuego and in my day, there was a Mr. Robert House."_

 _"You don't mean the CEO of RobCo Industries?"_ Veronica asked. He grunted before continuing:

 _"Si, the same. Guy was a superstar, a genius. Started his own company at 22, dated starlets and movie stars, some even said he had the ear of the Presidents."_

 _"Presidents?"_

 _"Of el Estados Unidos de America. You know, this great land we happened to be walking in?"_

 _"I know what the Presidents were, jackass,"_ I called back, _"You said Presidents. As in more than one?"_

 _"Oh yeah. Guy had money, and had a lot of connections. Some said he was even in bed with the Gooks."_

 _"Gooks?"_ Cass asked. Veronica provided the answer:

 _"The Chinese."_

 _"Wow,"_ she replied, _"So where's the weird shit?"_

 _"Well the tabloids back then were all into some kind of scandal he had. Took dames and models and had them dress up in all sorts of mercancías sexuales, and apparently scanned their brains."_

 _"Their brains?"_ I asked, _"Why?"_

 _"Nobody knows. Some people actually thought he stole their brains."_

 _"If that'd be the case,"_ Boone countered, _"Why were they alive to talk about it afterwards?"_

 _"Dunno, but they all died about a year later."_

 _"All of them?"_

 _"All of them. Nobody knew why, but it was so close to the end nobody was alive to care."_

A sudden realization came to me.

 _"Wait, you're not saying **this** Mr. House and _**_that_** _Mr. House are one and the same?"_

 _"Boss, let me ask you something. What do you notice about this place, and I don't mean just this pedazo de tierra, but the whole Mojave?"_

 _"Beside it being hot in the summer, cold in the winter and all around arid as hell?"_

 _"Si."_

 _"I dunno. What?"_

 _"Oh come on, you need to guess."_

 _"It's full of people fer one,"_ Cass suggested, _"Things can actually grow here fer another. Been to places like Dayglow where nothin' can stay put fer more than a minute 'fore getting cooked."_

 _"Si. Why is that?"_

 _"Because it wasn't nuked,"_ Boone answered.

 _"What are you getting at, Raul?"_ V asked him.

 _"On the night the bombs fell, even in Mexico City, I could see missiles and lasers being fired from right here in Las Vegas, and not New Vegas, blowing up the nukes before they could even hit the ground."_

 _"So yer sayin'…"_

 _"If House could do something like that, is it that much of a tramo de la imaginación that he could find a way to survive?"_

 _"Like what?"_ V inquired, _"A brain in a jar?"_

 _"If you like B-Movies. Perhaps he uploaded his brain into a computer and lives to this day as a,"_ he paused for dramatic affect and sounded like some announcer at a theater, _"soulless, Godless, Machine-God!"_

V snickered:

 _"When did you get Dues Ex Machina on the mind?"_

 _"Always. I got a lot of Capitán Cosmos y Flash Gordon growing up."_

 _"Meh,"_ I called back, _"I'm more a Johnny Quest/Space Ghost fan myself."_

 _"Buenos espectáculos, tambien. So, how's that for a theory?"_

 _"Y'know, could always be some smartypants Raider Chief who read a book."_

 _"Si, pero it wouldn't be as interesting."_

 _"Interesting or not, it makes me a tad bit concerned."_

 _"Oh?"_

 _"Raider Chief or Machine God, this guy had Victor save my life. Hell, he's kind of the whole reason I got shot in the first place. And I'm getting the feeling we're gonna run into him sooner rather than later."_

 _"Yeah,"_ Boone replied, _"but as you say: a problem for tomorrow."_

 _"I guess so."_

About twenty minutes later we reached a really large gate covered in… pumpkins, hobgoblins, and skulls? Not kidding. On either sides of the gate were loads of candle light pumpkins, floating ghost things and a goofy looking open skull over the gate with what looked like jewels or something shiny other looking at me like I owe him something.

 _"The Hell?"_

 _"Hollow's Eve,"_ Cass said at my elbow, _"Be prepared for some truly wacky shit."_

 _"Right."_

We got closer and the doors opened.

 _"Welcome to Freeside."_

Welcome indeed. Imagine a hundred… okay maybe not a hundred but close enough, folk just milling through one really long road around some kind of bazar you'd see in in a movie about the Middle East or something or other full of literally every kind of ware you could think of, just all turn and stare at us as we walked in. And of course, V decided to break the awkwardness by making it even more awkward:

 _"Hi!"_ she called out cheerfully complete with a wave, _"How you doing?"_

They just stared at us for a few more seconds, and then went around their business.

 _"What'd I say 'bout not tryna freak folk out?"_

 _"What?"_ she smirked, _"I could go for a good run."_

 _"Do that later,"_ I turned to Cass, _"so where's the big cheese?"_

 _"Big Cheese?"_ she laughed. I just gave her my _um, yeah?_ face. She just shook her head, and took point.

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

What can I say? I see an awkward situation, I've got to break that proverbial ice!

" _Wow,"_ I breathed as started walking down the road. This place is totally something else… I mean, where to start? Okay, let me start with the smell. Why? I don't know, just work with me.

There's this fragrance. It's not incense, but it's kind of this strangely sweet, but kinda tart… oh it's pumpkin! Wait, not just pumpkin. I'm picking up chili, and… wait is that just sugar? I don't know, it's just like somebody just dropped all this stuff in a pot and was burning it in this weird combination.

Either way, I feel like I'm in a giant pie! Oh man, now I want some pie. Okay so what's next? Well this place been totally decorated for this special occasion. I mean imagine every single wall being lobbed with what looked like spider webs, or hanging ghosts both green and white.

Pumpkins, sugar skulls, marigolds, scarecrows with pumpkin heads, scarecrows with painted skull faces… oh wow, is that a giant spider? Yikes, how long did it take them to hang that from there? People were carting loads of candles and a bunch of other illuminations from one place to another. Speaking of lights, everything was being lit up with neon lights. Yellows, greens and orange that gave everything this strange hue.

I mean, you can't see it that well, but once it gets to tonight… this is going to be fun. Now for the people. People were moving back and forth from one place to another, holding cartons of, what else? Candy and other such necessities. I spotted this big shop selling nothing but that. Preserved hard knockers, explosive gum choppers, fire cracker liquorish… I stopped a step, but then Boone grabbed me by my hand and pulled me along.

" _Hey!"_

" _Save it for tonight,"_ he replied all chiseled face, _"we're on business."_

I just shook my head and kept walking along. Then we came across another street and Cass point towards it:

" _That's what I call the Painted Row. Open exactly three nights and days per year, and this is one of them."_

I immediately saw what she meant. There were dozens of people in all these little shops, getting their faces painted. They all had different designs, but they were all more or less the same. These kinda sorta cartoony skull faces. All of 'em had 'em. And as we kept walking along, you could see dozens more, mostly kids, with the same paintings.

" _Cass, do you know what this is about?"_

" _Dunno. Just somethin' they do. Along with a whole lot of other such shit."_

" _It's Dias de Muertos,"_ Raul replied, and continued with a smirk, _"or at least a shameless bastardization of it."_

" _A what?"_

" _It means Day of the Dead,"_ Gideon called from the front, to which Raul nodded.

" _Today, tomorrow and the day after_ _los espíritus de los difuntos return from the dead to come visit their families. These days were meant to honor them."_

" _So goofy skull faces and…"_

" _No, not exactly. As I said, a shameless bastardization. But then again the last time there was a libro de reglas para estas cosas there were a lot less espectros de radiación roaming this jodido mundo."_

" _Still, that's awesome!"_

" _Extraño, you were born in the wrong century."_

" _I've been told that before."_

" _What the hell is that?"_

I turned and there right ahead of us in the middle of a crossway was… well, a giant scary looking marionette man. He was big and white with green and yellow eyes, a giant drooping mustache and arms so ridiculously large I thought they were going to fall off. Cass laughed a little before she explained:

" _That is Mr. Gloom."_

" _Mr. Gloom?"_

" _Y'know, kind of a devil of sorts. All your worries and problems, put 'em all one guy. And then set his ass on fire."_

" _Wait what?'_

" _Not kiddin'. Around midnight, they set him on fire."_

" _So…"_ I mused, _"they spent all that time building him and they're just going to set him on fire?"_

" _Yup,"_ she grinned, _"and usually that's when the King himself comes out to do a handful of songs while he's burnin' and suckin'."_

" _Wow,"_ Boone replied. Yup, sometimes the simplest answer is always the best. Soon, we passed by a couple of tenant looking neighborhoods, and again even more pumpkins, skulls and even some torches! Okay, they weren't lit yet, but still. Someone even set up a mock graveyard right in the front. Then out of nowhere this giant rat came running out and scurrying across the road right in front of us!

" _Look out for the ROUSes!"_ I shouted, to which Raul laughed his head off while the others were utterly confused.

" _Seriously? You guys haven't seen—"_

" _Don't let 'em escape, Marly!"_

" _You don't let 'em escape, Bobby!"_

These two kids (I think they might be twins) ran out and were chasing the rat with rusty knifes. They made their way down the alleyway, always a step behind their prey. Boone stopped and stared down at them. Then a second later he drew his handgun and perched himself on his knee. He took a few seconds, breathed and fired once. The Rat's head exploded!

" _Headshot! Excellent shooting."_

A ghost of a smirk passed by his lips.

" _Now bring me a_ _real_ _challenge."_

" _Oh don't tempt me,"_ I grinned sly at him, _"I just might."_

The kids down the alleyway waved at us, hoisting the oversized dead rat in their hands:

" _Thanks mister!"_

To this he actually smiled and waved back.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _Why is there a Fort in the middle of all of this?"_

Cass shrugged.

" _Dunno. I'm not a tour guide. Been here since I got here. The Do-gooder Followers live here."_

I nodded. After walking through old world tenements and shops and apartments, it was a little strange to see this adobe fort just sitting there like a sour thumb. This thing looked old. And I mean even older than the rest of this place. There was a sign in the front that read _Old Las Vegas Mormon State Historic Park_ in faded yellow letters over a crumpling state seal. The wood itself looked older than half of this entire place. I looked up and on a flag pole waved a white flag with a cross within a circle.

" _Followers of the Apocalypse, huh?"_

I'd heard of them before. Hell, I might've worked for them once… I think. I dunno. Basically, they're sawbones and men in lab coats to the needy; idealistic anarchists to the powerful. Yeah, that old story you've heard a thousand times over.

" _Ah, the Atomic Fuckin' Wrangler. Don't drink the water… or the beer. It takes like piss."_

I turned around saw what she was talking about. At first glance, you knew it was casino… among other things. It was a three story, tacky as hell looking building with more neon lights and signs then pretty much the rest of the town combined. Perched on the rafters of the shingles were black widow spiders hanging from webs, their mouths looking like they were going to scoop down and eat the passing pedestrians.

" _Huh."_

Not the weirdest though. Above those was a colossal neon animatronic cowboy, hat waving in their air, riding a nuke. Well I guess that's where that name came from. Looking down the street, I noticed the crowds of folk wondering in and out. The ones who went in were chipper and cocky in more ways than one.

The ones who came out were either drunk as hell or looked like they'd gone bankrupt. The rest circled a bunch of… well, I don't know whether to call them ladies or girls, because I can't tell the difference. Either way, they were arousing the crowds with erotic dances in even more erotic outfits. One was dressed like a mummy, the bandages just barely covering over her more sensitive parts. Another looked like a vampire: black and velvet cloak on with pantyhoses and the like; her mouth adorned with oversized fangs and running blood.

Raul stopped in midstep and stared in awe at them. Cass grabbed him by the hand and pulled him along:

" _Come on, ya old rottin' pervert."_

" _Y orgulloso,"_ he smirked, _"I might visit them later."_

" _And what?"_ Boone asked, _"Ghoulify them, too?"_

He just shit grinned him:

" _Si,"_ then he put on this Dracula-isk voice, complete with draping his arm around like he was hiding behind the proverbial cape, _"so that they may join me as my brides! Live with me, Príncipe sexy de noche, forever y ever!"_

Yeah, you could imagine our reactions. Just laughing our asses off at this gato viejo loco! What? I'm bilingual… okay, not really. But you get my point.

So we kept on walking for a while more, coming across more and more of horrorized neighborhood. I checked the chrome on my Pip-Boy. Darkness would probably fall in about three or so hours. If we wrapped this business with this King in a few hours or so, might actually get to this craziness go down.

" _You know,"_ Boone called from the back, _"ED-E hasn't said anything yet."_

" _Huh?"_

" _He always has something to say."_

We all stopped in our tracks and turned to him. Boone had a point. He'd been silent this entire walk. And honestly? He looked like a floating scaredy-cat.

" _You okay, buddy?"_

He looked left, looked right, spun around and then turned back to me:

" _Sorry folks, but all these ghouls and hobgoblins, pumpkinheads and monster housssesss… are all givin' me the fright! Like a black cat I shriek into the moonlight with a skeleton fallin' flat. Oh mammmaaa! I'ma so scared! "_

" _Wait seriously?"_

He nodded.

"' _Bot, yer frickin' discoball of death who ash-ivize folk by the dozens and yer scared of these little kids?"_

He nodded again. I turned to Raul:

" _Any chance you could tear him open and find out what's wrong with him?"_

" _Wait whatcchya sayin!? "_

Raul smirked sadistically:

" _Si, let me go get my hacksaw!"_

" _Gahhh."_

Oh shit, ED-E just fainted. No, I'm not kidding, he just collapsed to the floor. Veronica gasped in shock. Boone grimaced. Cass laughed her ass off.

I just shook my head:

" _Did I go too far?"_

" _Si, I think you did."_

Then ED-E shot from the ground:

" _Just kidding! "_

And some more laughing our asses off moments.

" _Ah nice one, ED-E. Very good."_

* * *

 **Unknown**

* * *

I have to admit that was pretty funny. Watchin' these guys for the past couple of hours, that has to be my highlight. They laughed amongst themselves, joking along with antics for a couple of minutes.

" _They act like family,"_ I whispered to myself.

" _Hey, you gonna pay or what?"_

I turned back to this vaguely Franciscian China Town guy, and just grunted.

" _Well you been sittin' here fer twenty minutes now an' you ain't touched yer food-!"_

I dropped fifteen caps at his stand before he could finish his gnarling, took my bowl of noodles, got up and walked across the road. I spotted a café ahead, open but a little crowded. I took my seat, makin' sure I was within direct line of sight, but had a few bodies between me and any chance of gawkers.

" _Alright, ya drama queen—"_

" _Me? I ain't no highschool tramp nor ain't I some-! "_

" _ED-E, we get the point,"_ the One-Eyed man cut him off, _"Cass where we heading next?"_

" _Up ahead, y'all know when it when ya see it."_

" _Any place where I can get a change of clothes, and don't give me that look, Boone."_

" _Mick and Ralph's up ahead. Take a far left. You goin' alone?"_

" _Nope,"_ the girl beamed with a wide smile, _"he's coming with."_

She then grabbed Red Beret… Boone, by the hand and started dragging him along. I had to resist the urge to laugh at his pleadin' face. He looked as though he'd take gettin' dropped in a den of Deathclaws then this run-along with the opposite sex. Hell, he might even prefer a walk through the Dunwich… I felt a sudden chill from the memories of that place, but I put them away 'fore they could get worse.

The Old Man Ghoul looked bemused at the situation and just shook his head as he took off after the other two:

" _I'll make sure el ninos don't get into any situaciones particularmente pegajosos!"_

" _Yeah sure!"_ Whiskey Rose called back to him, _"but keep yer particular bits where they belong, ya hear?"_

He waved back with a ragged smile:

" _Si,_ _mujer borracha!"_

" _Why you—"_

One Eye grabbed her by her arm and held her firm. He just shook his head:

" _C'mon, this is Raul we're talking about, remember?"_

She just stamped her foot and nodded her head:

" _Don't mean I don't need ta like it."_

" _I know. I swear we're like the parents of this group."_

I can agree with that.

" _In more ways than one, eh?"_

Oh mama. She ran her along across his groin and he blushed slightly. He just laughed embarrassingly:

" _There are children around, remember?"_

She smiled slyly at him. Oh mama deuce, this is one hellova woman.

" _I know. Hey wait where's ED-E?"_

I shuffled in my seat. I hadn't noticed he'd gone either. Sneaky. Oh wait there he is.

" _Looks like he's joining the others."_

" _Since when did that 'bot need a change of clothes."_

" _Apparently now. Well looks like it's just the two of us again."_

" _Right. C'mon, let's get a move on."_

They started headin' down the road. I got up, headed outside and plucked up a stray box full of stuffs and things when nobody was watchin' and followed. I made sure I was good distance behind. Don't need to get spotted quite yet. And tarnish my reputation for being utterly undetectable.

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

It's really been a long fuckin' while since I've been here. Sights are all the same, as are the folk millin' 'bout. And truth be told I can't tell if anything's changed much. Still looks like shit, buildin's crumblin', roads crumblin', spirits crumblin', everything crumblin'. But ontop of that, neither has the spirit.

I've been to some truly shitty places over my long and drunken places. And there are a lot that pale in comparison ta this place that look a hellovalot better. 'cause despite as I mentioned how shitty this place looks, ya don't get that feelin'. This place has got a vibe, got a spirit to it, that not many others got. See, the folk despite the shittiness of their livin' make do and keep on walkin' that long mile with a fuckin' smile on their face.

A lot of the old timers and Ghouls livin' here have told me what it was like even thirty years ago. How it was a dog eat dog and occasionally cats and rats kinda world. Everyone out fer themselves, an' everybody hungry and sick and depressed all the time. Today? Still hungry, sick and depressed, but folk are helpin' each other get through it.

Everybody sharin' what they got ta keep people goin' and folk makin' returns on those investments. Mebbe its cause of those Follower Do-gooders, givin' everybody a chance. Honestly though? It's cause of House and his fuckin' antics. Presley once told me how his New Vegas and the Strip an' everything else came to be. How he kicked everybody out of their homes into this slum ta die 'cause they wouldn't go 'long with his great and grand plans.

He'd expected them ta die. But they didn't. Presley told me that gave everyone the spirit ta pull together, ta bring about a dream of bein' free. Of never bein' thrown from yer homes, not havin' some big and mighty baron or other tellin' ya how ta live your life. To truly be Freeside.

We then took a right an' there they were.

" _Wow."_

I nodded.

" _Welcome to King's Street."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

Never thought I'd see this many Elvis impersonators all in one place. I mean imagine dozens of people (not including all the rest walking about) wearing the garb the guy wore in Jail House Rock. Black trousers, black overcoats, black-and-white stripped prison shirts or blue jeans with black leather jackets. Both versions had _The Kings_ sewn in bright gold letters in variety of places: from on their sleeves in straight lines, on their backs and a few on their fronts across their chests. And on top of that, they all had the exact same Pompadour style haircut he had in pretty much everything I've seen him in.

That classic jet black, slid back jelled air of utter coolness. And when we got closer, I could quite see a few were either speaking in his style or were making efforts to actually sound like him. Some hit the mark pretty well, others not so much. Then my eye caught the heat they were packing. Almost every single one of them was sporting a holster of some sort.

They carried a hefty variety of handguns from Browning HP 9mm's, R99 10mm and .40 Gov't's, and Ruger .357 Long Colts. A few others had H&K 10mm SMG's strapped either to their chest under their coats (the bulge is pretty obvious) or to their thighs. The rest had what looked like Sawn-Off scatter pistols. Either way, they looked mean and ready to use their arsenal, and I have no doubt they'd put up a hell of a fight. Whether they could take on trained soldiers armed with remodeled M-16's is still up in the air, but hell of a fight either way.

When we finally came up on the street, they all turned to face us and somebody shouted out:

" _Haven't seen you in a while, Cass!"_

Some whistled at her, others smiled and waved, and a few even bowed to her. If it hadn't been for Cass spreading her arms out wide, circling round and round with a big grin on her face, I might've gotten the sudden urge to go for my own pieces.

" _Hiya boys,"_ she called out, _"tell yer boss I'm home."_

" _Oh go ahead,"_ somebody from the crowd called back, _"he'll be happy to see ya.."_

* * *

 **Unknown**

* * *

Let me tell you: I wasn't expectin' that. Seein' the look these guys were giving me going up the street with my box of stolen goodies, I expected the same treatment for my charge. Instead, Cass got treated like royalty. Makes me wonder why. She close to the King of Freeside?

I made a mental note to include that in my report. Might be important. The two of them headed down the street and I followed as slow as slowness could manage. A minute later they came up to the King's School of Impersonation. It was a three-story building with an additional floor hidden high up that you could only see from a certain angle.

It lit up brighter with yellow neons than Rivet City at Christmas, which considerin' the rest of this place was quite the feat. On the sides of the buildings in neon yellow bordered by violet was the name of the actual building. Next to, above the door, were a pair of dancin' men highlighted in more violet. Seriously what is this guy's liking with violet? Not purple mind you, but violet.

Anyway, those two flanked a big giant white guitar, gold stars on the handle with the giant words _THE KINGS_ right in the fuckin' middle. The two head inside and—oh shit!

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I heard a _crash_ behind me and I spun, my hand going for the Colt on my hip. But I relaxed when I saw what happened.

" _Watch where yer goin', buster."_

" _Sorry, wasn't lookin'."_

" _Well ain't that obvious. Here, lemme give ya a hand."_

The Kingsman bent over to scoop a bunch of decorations and the like into a cardboard box. He then handed it back to the other guy and when he stood I got a good look at him. Well, I say guy, but he looked like a kid, maybe 18 or 19. He was about six foot, towering over the Kingsman he'd run into. He had long, scraggly brown hair mismatched and unclean pulled under a brown ballcap.

He had a long, but filling face slightly tanned and darkened with a rough beard that hadn't been shaved in probably a couple of days. All in all, not a bad looking kid. He wore a pair of torn jeans tucked into a pair of old black combat boots followed by a fading brown leather coat and underneath that a red cotton shirt.

" _Hey man, thanks."_

" _Yeah, no big whoop. Just watch where yer steppin', ya hear?"_

" _Oh I will, thanks."_

I was about to turn and keep on walking when the kid turned and I saw the rest of him. I got a sudden sense of unease from him, and my hand went back to the Colt. Our eyes locked. His pale green eyes looked at me curiously, wonderingly. But I just glared back, especially when I noticed the thin scar along his right cheek.

His eyes went wider as mine went narrower. He fumbled back and almost fell over a trash can.

" _Hey, what I'd—"_

" _Sorry,"_ he replied as he ran out of the way, clinging the box to his chest as he ran away like a startled cat.

" _Hey, somethin' up?"_ I heard Cass ask at my help. I just shook my head.

" _Just some dumb kid."_

" _Well, c'mon. We ain't got all day."_

" _Sure."_

I withdrew my hand and followed her inside. Immediately, I was hit by the smell of something musty and sickly sweet. The air was filled with the subtle sounds of strumming guitars and far off vocals. I removed my shades, and looked about the room. It was a front lobby I'd been growing rather familiar with the past couple of weeks. Aside from the typical overabundance of neon lights and a couple of hollowed out pumpkins carved with scary faces, wasn't much special about it.

" _Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in, huh?"_

Standing at the door was another Kingsman. And I immediately disliked the son of a bitch. He was a smug, pompous, blockhead looking, stab-you-in-the-back-for-a-promotion prick who sneered out at Cass. I was tempted to go for the Browning in my coat, and had my hand on the handle when Cass placed her hand on my arm. She gave me that old sadistic smile of hers and I eased back my hand. She turned back to the sneering prick and cackled:

" _Nice ta meet ya too, Pacer. Ya ol' shit face."_

" _Same to you, Rosy Red. Come clamerin' for favors, eh?"_

" _Not from you. Where's your boss?"_

" _Inside. Practicin'. Ain't nobody gonna disturb him."_

" _Well I ain't nobody."_

She moved towards the door, but Pacer immediately stepped in front of it.

" _Yeah, you are. And you an' your friend ain't getting in lest I say so."_

" _Well, who died and made you the fuckin' gatekeeper?"_

" _Me,"_ he smirked, _"an' I'm willin' to let y'all in… for a price. How about a hundred caps?"_

The smile he gave her made my blood boil, and I once again had to resist the urge to escalate on this guy. But Cass just shook her head, and laughed:

" _Ah, Pacer,"_ she put her hand on his shoulder, _"Ya always know just what ta say."_

Then I heard a sickening _smack_ and Pacer dropped to his knees, clutching his family jewels. His face puffed up like a balloon and before I knew it he spilled whatever lunch he had onto the floor.

" _Uh uh uh, Ol' Pace,"_ Cass waved a finger at him, _"Gotta finish yer food."_

She then pushed him over and he landed right into his own pile of puke. I laughed at that, and Cass joined me in.

" _See ya later, gutless,"_ she cackled, opening the door and beckoning me in. I smiled, and grabbed a musty old towel off the counter and dropped it right on his head:

" _Here, clean yourself up."_

That earned a hysterical chuckle from Cass and by the end of it my beat up lungs were burning from the effort. As we headed down a long and rather gloomy hallway with walls lined with red satin, I asked the obvious:

" _Your friend's not gonna take offense to us beating up on his men, is he?"_

" _What, Pacer? Nah, guy's a prick, and he knows it. Only tolerates him 'cause he was a childhood friend. 'sides, it's all good fun in the end."_

" _Right."_

We eventually came across an illuminated golden door, like you'd seen in those old theaters back in 'cisco in the old China Town district. Standing there was a well-dressed man wearing all black slacks, and slick back blond hair. He curtseyed towards Cass as she walked up:

" _A pleasure to see you gain, Ms. Cassidy."_

She smiled and nodded to him:

" _Good ta see ya too, Jeffie. How's the kids?"_

" _As good as they can be."_

" _I oughta visit them sometime."_

He smiled simply at her:

" _No, you shouldn't."_

" _Yeah, yeah I know,"_ she chuckled. He then looked at me, and I extended my hand:

" _Gideon Maddox. We're here to see the King."_

He took my hand with a grip that conflicted with his rather scrawny, almost scarecrow look.

" _A pleasure. The King is current rehearsing for Eve tonight. I can seat you if you're willing to wait."_

" _All willin', Jeffie. Thanks."_

He then opened the door and before us was a genuine performing stage, like you see in one of those high roller speakeasies in New Reno. It was a large room, filled with countless round tables, and of course a single large stage: yellow in color and backed by long red curtains. The room was largely vacant except for about maybe a half dozen people, and Jeff quickly sat us to the far left of the room. As we settled in, Cass nudged me:

" _Take off yer hat."_

" _Why?"_

" _Just do it."_

So I removed it and she did the same, placing them both on the table. I looked about the eerily quiet room and asked:

" _So how long we gotta wait for this guy?"_

Then suddenly I heard a drum roll and the curtains opened: revealing a crew of musicians with blue and white striped shirts and a man wearing a white suit and black slacks with his back turned. When the musicians started playing their tune, he about faced and my mouth about dropped too:

" _Return to Sender! Return to Sender! "_

My eye went wide as he stepped out onto the stage, his fingers snapping and his hips swaying, a winning smile on his lips:

" _I gave a letter to the postman, he put it his sack! "_

This guy… the way he moved, the way he bobbed and danced in a measured pace, the way he held himself and even down to the way the guy sang and hell, even the way he looked… was like as if Elvis Presley himself had walked out of his grave and somehow didn't look like a zombie from one of those B-Movie horror reels. He then spun around on his heels and carried on, snapping his fingers as he went:

" _Bright an' early next morning, he brought my letter back! "_

He then curled his hand into a fist and swung up to his chin, and the musicians in the back then answered:

" _She wrote upon it! "_

Then he was back to dancing, now adding the occasional tap to the number:

" _Return to sender! Address unknown! No such number! No such zone! We had a quarrel! A lover's spat! "_

I then heard clapping and I turned to see Cass beating to the rhythm, bobbing her head and grinning broadly as she did. She then turned to me and her grin grew even broader. I shook my head, smiled back and started clapping along with her:

" _I'm sorry but my letter keeps coming back! So then I dropped it in the mailbox and sent it special D! "_

He then whirled about in a circle and came back about face punctuated with a loud _snap_ from his tap shoes, leering all the while:

" _Bright and early next morning it came right- "_

He suddenly froze, and stared right our table. His mouth widened, he shook his head; his eyes looking as though they'd just seen a ghost. Cass grinned wickedly back, and waved at him. He beamed from ear to ear, stretching his hands out like he was about to say _Where you been all my life?_ Cass just shook her head at him and pointed to the stage.

He nodded slowly and I swear I thought I saw him mouth _Oh right._ He turned back to the band (who to their credit had been continuing to play a constant tune despite the interruption) and snapped his fingers three times then followed by a clap. They all nodded and transitioned back to the previous tune. He whirled back, continuing his number except this time I think he was doing it for Cass, as he danced in her general direction:

" _Bright and early next morning it came right back to me! "_

" _She wrote upon it! "_

" _Return to sender, address unknown! No such person, no such zone! "_

Then he pointed down at Cass and clapped awhile:

" _This time I'm gonna take it myself and put it right in her hand! And if it comes back the very next day- "_

He then drooped his head, and looked up at her morbidly:

" _Then I'll understand! "_

" _The writing on it! "_

The next couple of lines the background crew sang with him, slowly drowning him until by the last line he was silent:

" _Return to sender, address unknown! No such number, no such zone! Return to sender, return to sender! Return to sender, return to sender! "_

And when the last line fell out, he was off the stage running towards us.

" _Cass!"_

" _Hiya Presley! Miss me?"_

She rose from her seat and embraced him as he came over. He hugged her deeply. Too deeply… Huh.

" _You have no idea, baby."_

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

I felt him hold me tight. Too tight, and too long.

" _Uh, Presley, ya can let me go."_

He released me slowly, and he caressed his hand over my cheek. Took me a bit, but the look in his eyes… Jesus, he's relieved.

" _I'm sorry… Cass, doll… I heard what happened to your Caravan. I thought… I mean there were rumors."_

" _I'm okay Presley. Really, I'm okay."_

" _Cass… whoever did this is gonna pay might fine an' dearly for it. Ya got my word on that."_

" _And I'm glad,"_ I replied, tryna keep the fuckin' blues from my voice but fuck just him remindin' me off it all… damnit Cass, get a hold of yerself, _"But that's not why I'm here."_

" _I kinda figured. Don't have the look of vengeance in your eyes yet,"_ he then turned his head towards Gideon, _"An' you're that Courier I presume?"_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I cocked my head at him.

" _Courier?"_

He nodded.

" _Been hearin' stories about you. About a man who's cut a path through out a land of scum and all manner of villainy. A man who makes fireworks happen where ever he walks. A man some say came back from the dead."_

Huh.

" _I see I have a reputation."_

" _That you have, my friend. Heard a lot good about you."_

" _Right back at you."_

He smiled across at Cass… and I felt a tad bit uncomfortable about. Look I'm going to be honest with you. I'm not the jealous type. And I sort of expected there to be something between these two or otherwise we wouldn't be talking. I've run into guys like this King, and they're not the usual type I end up chatting with any given Sunday.

But right now, I'm feeling a little hot under the bandages, and it's not from the Mojave sun. But I closed my one good sigh and took a long breath. I can be pissed all I want, but I need to be as diplomatic as possible. Cass may have got me through the door, but the rest is up to me and how well this first impression goes.

" _I'ma 'ssuming you heard tall tales from our dear old friend here. An' I ain't all that surprised she'd be with a man like you."_

I opened my eye and stared at him, doing my best to keep my cool.

" _A man like me?"_

" _An interesting man. An' I do say you are interestin',"_ he smiled at me, showing his peculiar gleaming white teeth before taking a seat across from me, _"looking at you, I can tell you've got plenty of good yarns and campfire spookiness to keep the kids up for years. Outta freight and wonder."_

Huh. You know I feel like I want to like this guy… and I also feel like I want to slug him, too. Especially the gleam in his eye when he grinned over at Cass. What made it worse was the very same gleam in her when she grinned back. But she looked at me and it quickly disappeared.

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

Fuckin' hell. Didn't think Gideon would be the jealous type. I mean fer fucks sake it was only one night, fun and all but… I stopped myself right there. No, it wasn't. I kicked myself a little fer thinkin' that. Of course that ain't the fuckin' case.

I've been with a lot of men… and women if ya get me drunk enough, but none have been like this crazy son of a bitch. He breathes close calls and fuckin' danger. I dunno, guess I'm drawn to that. Certainly 'nough that I've been in more gunfights than I'd normally be in fer months an' did so against fuckin' Legion and Super Mutants. Fuck's sake.

Why'd this get so damn complicated?

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

Now I feel guilty. Goddamnit. Okay, stow it Gideon. Now's not the time.

" _Ya know, I never did catch your name, in spite of the legends 'bout you of course."_

I extended my hand to him.

" _Gideon Maddox. And yourself?"_

He took it, and I felt a reserved strength in that grip. Guy knows the properties of a handshake; I'll give him that.

" _Most call me the King. But Cass knows me as Presley King. An' now you do too."_

" _Good to meet you, Mr. King."_

" _Please,"_ he smiled winningly at me, again showing those white teeth, _"call me Presley. Anybody who's a friend of Cass has that right in spades."_

I had to resist the urge to laugh. This guy breathes Elvis. I mean, Goddamn, this guy is like he stepped right out Blue Hawaii or Girls, Girls, Girls. And don't ask me how I've seen those movies, because I don't remember.

" _Yer starin', Gideon."_

" _Oh, what?"_ I asked turning to her, but she just shook her head. I then felt a gentle hand on my shoulder and I turned back to my host. Again, all smiles and laughs.

" _Don't worry your fine fiery head, Cass. I get the starin' all the time. An' I wager you're thinking 'bout now that I've stepped outta Viva Las Vegas."_

" _Not Viva,"_ I replied with a slight smile, _"But close enough."_

" _Ha! Well I'm glad to meet another truer fan. Too many folks have only heard the man's music. Ain't many that have seen the legend on silver screen."_

" _He should've done more Westerns. He was surprisingly good at that."_

" _You an' me both, my man. That happens to be one of my favorites."_

" _Y'know, I have to ask…"_

" _Why am I dressed up and actin' like the King himself. And don't gimme that look, ol' Cass. Man oughta know, an' I enjoy tellin' the yarn."_

She smirked at him, and crossed her arms as she leaned into the chair:

" _Oh I know, but that's kinda why. Ya start a story an' you don't stop."_

" _Point taken,"_ he winked at her, _"so I'll give you the Rockwell version. But first some context."_

Rockwell version?

" _Picture this place about ten years ago. A place of anarchy and craziness. Dog eat cat and chase the bones up a tree kinda time."_

That earned a chuckled from me which earned a grin from him. He continued:

" _People fightin' over space, beds an' food. Hell, anybody and everybody would fight just for the excuse of it. Then one day, a robot army lookin' like TV's on wheels come rollin' in."_

" _House?"_

He nodded.

" _The same. Demanded a meetin' of all the tribe heads. Wanted to put a stop to the violence, offered us food an' water an' all the riches men could dream of if we put aside our differences an' come work for him."_

" _So you built a wall?"_

" _More than that,"_ he replied, _"we rebuilt Vegas, gave power to the Strip. Things were lookin' good for the folk at the time."_

I raised my eyebrow at him:

" _You say folk as if you weren't involved."_

He nodded:

" _No, we weren't. I'd been running against the likes of House for years. Double face, double dealers. I didn't trust him once, an' it turns out I was right."_

" _What happened?"_

" _They kicked them out, Gid,"_ Cass replied, _"All but three of the biggest of the three tribes."_

The King nodded, a dark shadow passing over his face:

" _The polite version that is."_

" _What's the impolite?"_

" _See this was around the tail end of '74."_

" _The NCR."_

" _Yup. Moment the first Soldier-Boys showed, House and what would become the Three Families pointed the gun at anybody they didn't want and told them to shake a bush."_

" _What?"_

" _The boot."_

" _Oh. Let me guess, things got ugly?"_

" _That they did. Quite a few got attached to the new lifestyle. Streets ran red those days, my friend. Believe me. Then they built that wall you see around the Strip, an' here we are now. Dealin' the down an' dirty."_

" _So that was the context?"_

He nodded again.

" _This place? This religious institute, an' don't tell me it ain't, been here always. But folk always stayed away. Something 'bout it being taboo or some other nonsense. But me bein' me, I ain't too keen on listenin' to the advice of the all-powerful. So I took a peek an' I found this temple dedicated to the study of one man."_

Cass laughed a little at that, and he looked at her funny. She just shook her head:

" _Presley, Elvis ain't a god. He was the coolest of the cool, but nothin' much more."_

" _An' I disagree. People thought him God-like enough that they wanted to be like him. Talk, move, sing and act like him. If that ain't exactly like Jesus, then I don't know what is."_

" _So you learned how to be like him?"_

" _How to be him. Now I ain't got no illusions 'bout me not bein' him an' all that—"_

" _Though I do say you are pretty close."_

" _Thank you, thank you very much,"_ he replied with a chuckle, _"but I saw the greatness in this man, saw the weakness of my own, an' I wanted to be him. So every day, every year, I came here to learn. An' eventually people thought that was a good idea."_

" _And the worlds one and only gang of Elvis impersonaters came ta be."_

" _Impersonators we may be, but I like to think we keep the memory alive. An' besides, the folks needed us in those early days."_

" _I can imagine."_

" _Maybe you can, maybe you can't. But all those festivals and fun-ness outside that you see? That didn't exist all those years ago."_

" _Your idea?"_

" _More than that."_

" _Oh jeez, here ya go again."_

He smirked at her:

" _Don't mean it ain't right. See, Freeside's about an idea. That everyman is a King in his own way. That anybody and everybody should be free to choose their own destinies. That nobody: not House, Caesar an' not Kimball should tell us how to live. To truly be_ _Free_ _-Side."_

There was a genuine passion in his eyes. It beamed bright like a hot forge and I had to admit: I found it kind of inspiring. Even if it was bullshit or a genuine article, this guy truly believed what he was saying. And honestly? There aren't many who do.

And that's kind of refreshing.

" _See the key to it was community. As much as House was backstabbing in every way, man was a smart cookie. He gave people somethin' greater than they were to follow, to inspire them. Even if they don't agree, they can't help but look, right?"_

" _So you inspired people to become civilized?"_

Cass smiled at me:

" _He is the King of Freeside."_

He looked hurt at this.

" _No I ain't. Freeside don't need no King. I don't impose my will on folk. I just show them better ways, an' if they don't wanna follow that's perfectly fine. Just so long as people don't get hurt is all."_

" _Like the NCR?"_

He looked at me grimly:

" _I've done what I can to bring those folks into the fold. Make them one of us."_

" _Presley,"_ Cass interrupted, her face masked in an eerie sense of foreboding, _"I've told you, these folks aren't survivalists. Most of 'em come from soft livin'."_

" _And I've listened Cass. And I've tried to heed to that. I've given them a share of our crops, our water. I've even tried to show 'em how to be self-sufficient. I hoped they'd take those lessons an' be somethin' more. But those folks have done nothing but continue to push into places they don't belong, startin' up ruckus an' such. I've even had to stop shipments an' make 'em pay for them."_

" _And from what I've heard, there are more of them than there are of you."_

" _Not yet,"_ he replied, a flash of vindictive anger crossing his face, _"but there will be. An' they'll push us out if we don't do somethin'."_

" _Presley,"_ Cass suddenly grabbed his hand, her eyes urgent, _"whatever yer thinkin', don't do it. You push the Bear 'nough, it'll clobber you."_

" _She's not wrong,"_ I added, _"I've noticed the heat your men are packing, and the way they hold themselves. They mebbe eager, and while I have no doubt they'll put up a fight, they're no match for soldiers with armed with fully automatic M-16's. They will kill you and probably everybody who lives here without even batting an eye."_

" _Sunny, I've been dealin' with these Soldier-Boys for years. They don't have the stones for that."_

" _Then you haven't heard what happened to the Khans."_

He raised an eyebrow:

" _I know what Mr. New Vegas sayin', that they were killed carrying drugs."_

" _They weren't carrying drugs. They were transporting a person. A Chairmen named Benny."'_

His eyes went wide:

" _Benny? As in Reeves?"_

" _The same,"_ Cass answered, _"that fucker shot Gid here, and I've been helpin' him make his way north fer a little payback the past couple weeks."_

" _That sounds like you,"_ he smirked before he turned back to me, _"so lemme guess, you caught up with them Attila the Huns at Boulder City?"_

I nodded:

" _By the time we got there, Benny had double crossed them and let them to be surrounded by some very pissed off soldiers."_

" _So they shot 'em?"_

I shook my head:

" _They gave them terms and I convinced them to take them. They surrendered."_

" _So what happened?"_

Cass grimaced:

" _Just as they were 'bout ta high-tail 'em out, this Queen Bitch Colonel showed up with a couple tincans and had them executed."_

" _Queen Bitch?"_ he asked, his eyes narrowing as they did, _"This would happen to be Cassie Moore, would it?"_

I cocked my head at him:

" _You know her too?"_

" _Oh yes,"_ he replied a tired smile, _"she can be very colorful with her threats. Last time we tangoed, she insisted on the notion of stuffing my head on a wall. Apparently, it'll go right next to Salad Tosser and the Monopoly Man."_

You could imagine my face:

 _"Huh?"_

Cass chuckled at this:

 _"His nicknames fer Caesar and House."_

 _"See back in the day there was a dish called Caesar's Salad."_

I laughed a little at that:

 _"Salad Tosser. Yeah, he'd crucify your ass for that."_

He grinned at this:

 _"An' it would be quite the magnificent spectacle."_

 _"And Monopoly Man? That's not some weird soup, is it?"_

Cass just shook her head:

 _"No dummy, it's from Monopoly."_

 _"You say that like I'm supposed to know what that is."_

 _"Yer tellin' me ya know Looney Toons like the back of yer hand but ya don't know what Monopoly is? Wow, I've been tagging 'long with the wrong man."_

I smirked back at her:

 _"So says the gal who doesn't know what a fish is."_

 _"Why you little—"_

 _"Boys, girls,"_ King broke in with out-stretched hands, _"while I may enjoy your tension, whether it is of the especially pleasant or of the erotic kind, I do presume to guess that you've come to me for help?"_

She glared at me and mouthed _this isn't over._ I smirked back and gave her my _come at me, sister_ expression.

 _"You two have issues,"_ King chuckled, _"so what can I do for you then?"_

 _"Well straight to the point, we need to get into the Strip. And we can't do it legally. Cass tells me you have a way to do it. And I'm assuming we need to do you a favor for it."_

 _"Ah, you know me so well,"_ he winked at her, and I suppressed a sudden flush of heat in my guts, _"you have the business model fairly clear. I have a… special relationship with Mick and Ralph down Fremont way. They produced the finest forgeries you can imagine, and at quarter the cost. However, I don't just hand those out to anybody. An' as you say, I need a favor first."_

 _"That's why we're here, Presley,"_ Cass replied, _"what do you got fer us?"_

 _"First things first. How many are in your posse?"_

 _"What makes you think—"_

 _"Cause two folk, regardless of their skill or coolness, cannot crisscross the Mojave like so without bein' easy pickin's for the ruffians of this world."_

I nodded:

 _"Point taken. Six in total, counting me and Cass."_

 _"Any other details I should know?"_

 _"One's a 'bot."_

 _"Then that'll equal you three jobs in total. Handing out a pair of fakes is a cap-a-dozen, but five flesh and bloods and one with oil in his veins is quite the investment, and those don't come cheap."_

 _"I understand. What do you have for us?"_

 _"Well one's pretty easy for you. Cass, you remember Oris?"_

She looked at annoyed:

 _"Don't tell me. He's still stealin' business from you?"_

 _"Quite so. I took him as a means to motivate my boys, but his repeat business with the clients… well once somebody who needs protection hires him, they want nobody else. Now I'm not against a well-earned competition, but my boys need a fair playing field if you know what I mean, and somehow I'm feelin' there's something more to his trade than just a few goods smiles."_

 _"Alright, so what's next?"_

 _"Well this next one is for a friend, Julie Farkas. You'll run into her anyways so I figured you could do somethin' she's been knockin' on me for a while now. See she runs the Old Mormon Fort, an' that means helpin' the downtrodden round here. However, those numbers have been increasin' in number recently, and I'm inclined to believe Julie on who's causin' it."_

 _"Who?"_

 _"A fella named Dixon. He's been sellin' some truly cheap meds that are makin' quite a few people sick. Julie will have more details on the matter."_

 _"And the third job?"_

 _"Now this one is gonna require some tact an' an inquisitive nose, if you know what I mean. As you know, things between us an' our new neighbors haven't exactly been all that much pleasant, an' while scuffles an' the like are somethin' of a common occurrence, this is the first it's happened to some of my own."_

 _"Who?"_ Cass asked, with a note of concern in her voice.

 _"Roy an' Wayne, Cass. They got the blues kicked out of them an' I need to know who did the kickin'. An' considerin' what's going on tonight, I need this done with as much subtlety as you can manage."_

 _"Understood. Anything else?"_

 _"Oh yes, there's one more thing."_

He then spun in his chair and whistled:

 _"Rex! Come here, boy!"_

Then out of another door came running a dog—what the hell!?

 _"Heya, Rexie!"_ Cass called out to this… this thing, _"was wonderin' where ya went!"_

The dog-thing came running over to her, his tail wagging madly and its tongue hanging out as she scratched behind his ears.

 _"Aw, I missed you too— whop! Get of me ya big lug!"_

The dog-thing jumped on her, licking her face as he did. I call it dog-thing because I don't know what else to call it. Where to start? How about the fact it's brain is encased in a glass cover ontop of its head? Or that three of its legs were robotic and that half of its body was made of metal?

King must've saw my face because he just smiled at me:

 _"He's a Cyber-Dog. An old police pooch from what I can tell. He's been my closest pal that I can think of for spin-on-tell years."_

Rex then jumped off Cass and came over, cocking his head at me. I cocked my head at him and he then proceeded to sit down right in front of me, looking me over from head to toe. I eventually extended my hand to him, and he bent over to sniff it. He then followed up my arm until finally he moved up onto my lap. King laughed at this:

 _"He seems to taken a shine to you."_

 _"Have you know now?"_ I asked the dog as he came up to my face. His nose then followed my cheek until it ended up over on the bandaged part of my face and eventually, my eye. He stayed there for a very long while, and when he returned, I swear I saw something strange in those big brown eyes of his. Pity, respect? I dunno, but I have to admit that out of all the dogs that have licked my face, this one is the first to not have terrible breath.

I moved hands over the dog, ruffling and patting him a bit. As I did, I heard Cass ask:

 _"So what's up with him?"_

 _"Don't know. He's been waking up weary an' mopey in the mornings, an' sometimes he'll stay lyin' down for a good long while. Once, a full day."_

 _"How long this been goin' on?"_

 _"About two weeks. I thought it might be a bug he caught, but its been getting' worse."_

 _"We'll take him over then,"_ I answered, patting Rex on his organic side, _"you're good dog, aren't you boy?"_

He nodded. He just nodded?

 _"Did you do that?"_

He nodded again, and I swear I thought I saw him smile. Cass grinned at me:

 _"He's a smart boy."_

 _"I guess you are,"_ I then got up from my chair and extended my hand to King who promptly shook it, _"well, Mr. King, you have a deal."_

 _"Likewise, my friend. I'm getting the feelin' we're going to have a great relationship."_

 _"I hope so. Well Cass—"_

I then grabbed my hat and the moment I put the hat on my crown Rex jumped back and started baring at me.

 _"What the hell?"_

I put my hand towards him and he moved back. I looked to Cass and King and she just shook her head:

 _"He doesn't like people who wear hats 'cause it reminds 'em of rats."_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"He just doesn't like hats."_

 _"Huh."_

I took the hat off and he stopped barking. I put it back on my head and he barked. Took it off, and then slowly started putting it up to my head. He showed his fangs and growled a little. I smirked at him, and then started bring it up and down, with him going _grrr_ for a few seconds then going silent then _grrr_ again.

Though after a minute of doing this, he finally stopped, cocked his head at me and shot me the _really?_ Face. I laughed at that:

 _"Well this is going to get interesting."_


	23. Chapter XXII: Freeside Blues

**Chapter XXII:**

 **Freeside Blues**

* * *

 **Unknown**

* * *

" _So like this?"_

 _"Yeah, just hold it like—yeah that's good. Man oh man, just what I need. A giant to reach places."_

I chuckled a little at that:

 _"Well I wouldn't exactly call myself a giant."_

 _"Ya kiddin' kid? Look at me. I'm old an' frickin' short!"_

 _"Ah, c'mon you're not_ _ **that** __short."_

 _"'ppreciate the effort, kid. But I'm too old for that kinda optimism. That's what yer here for."_

Couldn't help but smile down at him. His name was Chester, owned a barber shop in town. Though the rumor was he also ran underground boxing rings. He was very old, and very craggy. A little, crooked back guy with a ragged rough face that looked like it could kill like Medusa, and just only the barest amount of white hair atopping his head. Still, didn't mind helpin' him out, I find him a bit funny.

Plus, it also gave a decent cover. Sure 'nough, they came out the front. And taggin' long with them was a cyber-hound. I haven't seen one of those since I worked for the Shi Emperor back in San Fran. I kept my ears popped out as I hanged the last of this boxin' skeleton up.

 _"Okay, just say it."_

 _"Say what?"_

 _"Oh, c'mon. I know ya got a little heated back there."_

 _"Cass, I knew there had to be something between you two else we wouldn't be talking. And if there_ _was_ _something, I don't care."_

 _"Bullshit. I know the look."_

 _"What do you want me to say? Yes, I might've gotten a little miffed, but I'm not gonna start a fight over that."_

I looked around and I noticed she grinned at him:

 _"Ah, so yer tellin' me ya wouldn't fight fer me, then?"_

I expected him to take the bait, but instead he just grinned back:

 _"Not when the other guy owns a gang that's this armed to the teeth. I mebbe many things, but suicidality stupid isn't one of them."_

 _"Didn't say that back in Nipton."_

 _"Oh that was just suicidality_ _crazy_ _. I admit that fully. But stupid? No not really. At least with them, I'm already on their shitlist."_

 _"Yeah, I guess we both are. 'Course, don't mind that one bit."_

 _"I do. At this rate, I'm gonna be bankrupt from buying so many bullets!"_

I had to chuckle at that. Guy was a straight up comedian. Dry wit an' all. Reminded me of Three Dog a little.

 _"Bow-wow, your voice in the darkness,"_ I mused softly to myself, _"or at least, the radiation!"_

 _"Whachya say, kid?"_

 _"Hmm, nothin'. Nothin' at all."_

They started talking again:

" _So 'bout last night…"_

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"I mean, twas all good fun an' all…"_

 _"Good fun, eh? I'll take that as a compliment."_

 _"Oh shut up you!"_

She slugged him in the shoulder:

" _Ow! Damnit, woman!"_

 _"I find yer lack of faith disturbin'."_

 _"I find your oversized fists and their insistent need to slug me disturbing!"_

 _"What can I say? Yer very punchable."_

 _"Thanks, that means a lot to me."_

 _"Yer welcome. But about last night— "_

 _"Cass, if you're going to ask me how I feel about it and_ _us_ _, I honestly can't tell you."_

 _"I guess I'm the same way."_

 _"It's not like I'm going to put a ring on it."_

 _"The fuck you just say?"_

 _"Oh, you know, stuff. Honestly though, you could use a bath."_

She grinned slyly at him:

 _"So could you. Next chance, I'm grabbin' a shower an' yer joinin' me."_

 _"That sounds like a plan. Granted I pity who ever has to pay for the water."_

 _"Fuck 'em. I used ta carry water all over the place, an' I got shot at for it. They don't get ta complain."_

I placed the last of the ornaments up, and nodded to Chester.

" _That looks like the last of it. Ya need anything else, old man?"_

" _Aw go screw yourself, ya magnificent giant. Nah, I'm good Wade. Go off and find yourself a good woman."_

" _That's a little complicated, Chester."_

" _Nothin' complicated 'bout it. Find the lass ya like, take her to bed."_

" _She's an Apache."_

" _All the better. I've had me one before, and do I wish I knew me her name. She made me feel on fire."_

" _I've been burned by something a lot worse, thank you very much. So, no fire for me."_

" _Aw, get outta here, ya hopeless scrap!"_

* * *

 **Raul**

* * *

" _Hiya! I'm Ralph. And the guy with the soul patch is my brother Mick. So what can I get y'all today?"_

" _Clothes,"_ laExtraña smiled at this particularly over-charming y demasiado femenino hombre-niño, though I do say his mullet does leave me slightly celos, _"lots of clothes. Clothes upon clothes if you can manage."_

He raised an eyebrow and grinned slightly.

" _Clothes upon clothes, you say? Well that sounds like a challenge."_

He was obviously… lo que lo llaman? Disarmed? Si, disarmed. As I said, he was obviously disarmed by her diabólicos, pretty-may fare looks. Who wouldn't?

Claro, he didn't know she could probably kill him with tres o cuatro moves to the neck or some other extravagante position on the body. I stepped in, taking a good look at this descargo. Yup just as I thought, this place was a Goodwill. Well, perhaps hace dos siglos, pero still a Goodwill. It has that certain style; you know?

Kind of a jumble, with loads of everything personas don't want. It is not trash. Trash has no use. The shelves and shopping carts y tables y other such was full of junk. Junk I can use to build.

Junk has quality to it. And this is basura de calidad. Toasters, home appliances, even selling a couple ovens, eh?

" _Well let's just say I'm a girl who needs the finer wares. Oh by the way, you wouldn't happen to have a dress?"_

" _A dress? Sorry, none of that."_

" _Granted,"_ Machismo replied, _"a place like this probably wouldn't sell a lot like that."_

" _A place like this? She maybe many things, but Mick and Ralphs is the finest establishment— "_

" _Ralph, stop tryna bullshit them! This place is a dump and I'm proud of it!"_

Out from the back came another hombre-niño. Except this one had a block-head and of course un jodido ridículo soul-patch! Men do not have soul-patches! Men have beards! O un bigote del diablo-puede-cuidado like myself!

Only pensamientos y beatniks have solo soul-patches! Dios, I want to que hacer como Clint Eastwood did to Ramón Rojo en Un Puñado de Dólares! I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. Si, deep breaths. No need for that just yet.

" _If y'all need guns and the like, come talk to me in the back. If you need somethin' else, go talk to Mr. Mullet over here."_

" _Mr. Mullet!?"_ laExtrañalaughed atrozmente, _"Well then, Mr. Mullet. Care to show us your wares?"_

" _Right this way."_

He then disappeared around a corner. Veronica followed in his wake, pulling Machismo como una damisela implorante en peligro! His face was so red podría matar a un tomate from the shame of being out-rojo! He looked at me pleading as he disappeared around the corner! I just shook my head and chuckled:

" _You are truly azotado, mi hijo! Azotado completely!"_

" _Whipped you say?"_ Soul-Patch smirked, _"With a fine piece of— "_

" _You utter one more palabra,"_ I grinned at him, mi mano on the blanket, _"And I will make you,"_ I said these next words muy cuidadosamente, taking on the exact acento Abe Vigoda used in that escena clásica, _"sleep with the fishes."_

" _It's a long way to Lake Mead,"_ hombre-niño replied with a grin, _"man yer age— "_

" _Oh I can manage. Can you?"_

" _Probably not."_

" _Bueno respuesta."_

" _So what can I get you?"_

" _Well,"_ I lopped the blanket onto the counter, desentrañar Las Manos de Dios. His face was predictable, though the whistle fue un buen toque, _"I need something to hide these under, si entiendes lo que digo."_

" _Hand cannons like those? I think I've got a couple options. Follow me, I'll take you to my office."_

I strapped on the cinturón de armas. No point in hiding them away now, eh? We headed across the length of the store, y escuché a los amantes doing their shopping. Pues, I say shopping, pero lo que quiero decir es la Extraña using Boone as a throwing mount, tossing clothes into his arms as he stood there estupefacto. I couldn't help but laugh maníaco at the pair:

" _Espero you will actually be able to pay for todo ese tontería! That's a bit poco!"_

" _Much?"_ Veronica replied descaradamente, smiling from end to end, _"Oh trust me, this isn't much! I haven't had a chance to do shop for clothes in…"_ she topped and put her finger on his lip, pensando, _"years."_

Machismo groaned visibly:

" _This is going to take a while."_

She smirked up at him, slapping him en su brazo guerrillero:

" _Oh c'mon sourpuss, cheer up! This'll be fun!"_

" _Fun for you maybe."_

" _Hey, Old Man Ghoul."_

I turned to see hombre-niño remiendo del alma standing at a wall. I grinned at him:

" _Como? A secret door?"_

He cocked his head:

" _You go exploring dark-dainty castles in yer youth or somethin'?"_

" _No,"_ I chuckled, shaking mi cabeza, _"I've simply seen demasiadas películas."_

" _Eh?"_

" _Movies."_

" _Oh? Oh! Yeah, makes sense. Well as they say: Open the Sesame!"_

He pulled down a lever and the wall ascended revealing un largo arsenal. It was a long hallway, con maniquíes adorned with muchos, muchos outfits. At the end, aunque, was a big prison cell full of tantas armas! There were rifles, pistolas, escopetas, ametralladoras y más. Pero, I had to shake my cabeza at his masacre del turn of phrase:

" _It's just Open Sesame."_

" _Oh. Sorry."_

" _Disculpa aceptada,_ _Miguel."_

" _Huh?'_

" _No importa."_

* * *

 **The King**

* * *

" _Presley, I'm tellin' you. Ya gotta call off this stunt. It ain't safe."_

" _Safe? Pacer, my man, when has Freeside ever been 'safe'?"_

" _This is different. What happened to Wayne an' his boys… that was the NCR. It had to be."_

I shook my head at my oldest friend.

" _We don't know that."_

" _Locals know not to touch 'em. They know what they mean to us. An' those poorer-than-slime squatters ain't got the cajones for somethin' like that. It had to be soldier-boys."_

" _An' why would that be, Pacer?"_

He didn't answer an' that gave me chills. I'd known Pacer long before I'd ever taken the mantle of King, sought to show people the way. He'd been by my side ever since. While he'd taken up my ways, he didn't right way believe 'em fully. He followed me, not my ideals.

An' while man can appreciate that kinda loyalty, it can also make 'em unpredictable. Pacer's been known for a harsh hand. I'm often the one who pulls it back 'fore it strikes too hard. I hoped to hope that what he's sayin' ain't true. I may not like those Soldier-boys, those GI-Blues, an' if I could I'd give 'em the shake; I know I can't. What Cass an' Mr. Maddox told me 'bout those Hun-boys has given me pause.

Once, I assumed that these boys were toothless coyotes. Snarl and yarl, an' all that. But never bite. Well, I think now that I'm wrong to the cold degree. But Pacer doesn't, his blood was boiled an' now I've gotta rein him in.

" _Pace, I've sent Cass and her man to sort this mess out."_

" _Those two!?"_ he snorted, _"Pres, lemme take my boys out— "_

" _No."_

" _But— "_

" _No. You know what they said."_

" _You trust her word over mine?"_

" _In this case, yes,"_ I sighed, _"Pace, times are a'changin'. An' that means we gotta change with 'em."_

" _How? By parlaying with the 'Devils in disguise'? Those were your words afterall."_

" _That they were, and they still are. But for the sake of Freeside we need to deal these people a hand— "_

" _Then let me take my men. Let me sort this out."_

" _No, Pace,"_ I looked him squarely in eyes, _"I can't afford more blood on these streets."_

" _That's what we need,"_ Pace leaned in close, his hands over the table, _"these folks are gonna drive us out, Pres. You know it, I know it an' they know it, too. They want this place."_

" _They'll never get it. Not less we give 'em cause."_

He threw his arms out wide:

" _Then let's give 'em cause! Let's hit 'em now! Drive 'em outta that street, outta our homes!"_

" _An' then what? You know how it'll end."_

" _It won't come to that."_

" _Yes, Pace. It will. An' we'll lose."_

I leaned in close, grabbin' him by the neck for a little face-to-face. I need to make this point, and I need it made well.

" _Right now, I need you to listen to me. I need you to believe me."_

" _I do, Pres. But— "_

" _Hush. We are in a flux, a point of no return, you understand? What we do now, an' what we do next will shape our destinies. An' our fates."_

" _What are you talkin' about, Pres?"_

I let him go, movin' up from the table to the painting that hung over my bed. It was an old thing, a little faded, but still the wonder as it was. It was of the Colorado, a time before all this. Clean, an' free an' flowin'. Inspiring, right? But that image, that beauty, well, it's all gonna change real soon.

" _There's a war comin', Pace. Not just 'tween the usual suspects, but for all. A war that's gonna decide the fates of every breathin' man, woman and child who happens to live on these sands. It'll shape our lives, shape our world. An' we need to be ready for it. We need to keep ourselves alive, and keep_ _ **Freeside** __alive. An' if that means I have to make a deal with devils? Then so be it. That's why I've sent Cass an' her merry band to deal with this. An age is comin' to a close, Pace. It's time we embraced the new one. Before it decides to snuff us out, too."_

He nodded slowly, donning his head as he did:

" _I understand, Presley."_

" _Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a rehearsal to attend."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _So turn here?"_

" _Mmm hmm."_

Across the street from the giant Bomb-riding Cowboy, we headed down another side street full of vagrants and a lot of loose shopping carts. Up ahead, we spotted a giant neon sign made from a dozen different style letters, and a few letters, that read in reds, blues, and yellows:

 _Mick &Ralph5 C0nven1enc3 & P8wn1ng._

" _Huh. Interesting spelling choice."_

" _Ya try getting' yer hands on a complete set of matchin' neon's."_

I smirked at her:

" _When I do, I'll let you know."_

She rolled her eyes at me:

" _Sure. C'mon."_

I suddenly froze and turned around. Behind me was just an open street but I swear I thought I heard something. My eye scanned the area, noting the people milling about ahead. There was a shuffle to my right and I turned to see Rex standing there, watching the road, too. He sniffed at the air, and his ears perked up.

Then he looked up me:

" _Aroo?"_

I sighed to myself and nodded:

" _Yeah. Feel it too, huh?"_

He nodded slowly. I'm still marveling at this little guy's smarts. Well, guess when your brain is in a jar you kinda have to be, I suppose. I rubbed his head a little as I turned:

" _C'mon, let's get a move on."_

* * *

 **Pacer**

* * *

He just doesn't get it. An' that's the problem with ol' Pres. He sees glamor an' hope when there ain't none. Oh sure, he can stand at the masses an' play Christ, an' probably get a run on it. But he ain't got it in him to do the nasty stuff, the bloody things needed to keep us a float.

It's not that he's all-highly-and-mighty or he ain't got the stones. Trust me, he does. I've seen him kneecap dealers an' personally string up Raider schmucks who thought it smart to pillage on our side of town. An' that's the problem. His hearts got too much light, an' not 'nough dark.

He'll play the good-guy, getting' the girl an' blast the baddies. But what happens when he needs to play the bad-guy? Especially when our 'fates', as he calls it, are hangin' in the balance? He ain't wrong, we're about to enter a war. But it's the wrong war he's thinkin' about an' it's coming to **our** doorstep.

Every day, every week and every month, more of those Cali's show up. More an' more, and no-ones doin' anything to stop 'em. Eventually, there's gonna be more of 'em than us. When that day comes we ain't gonna be able to stop them. That's why I have to do what I have to do.

I've gotta send the message that the Kings, and Freeside, are not to be fucked with. I reached the backdoor, an' I knew from the ciggy smoke who was waitin' for me.

" _Ya call fer me boss?"_

I turned to find Lenny Canalla starin' me down with that reeking rollup of his. He looked like some kinda mail man, or runner boy ya find in New Reno or someplace. Complete with that patchwork Tweed Cap of his, and his rat lookin' face. Still, he an' his musty boys were my eyes when I needed 'em.

" _Got me a real problem, Lenny. King's sendin' some folks down to go check on Wayne an' his boys. I need you an' your crew to keep your noses on 'em. Watch what they do. Oh, an' tell Orris he might be expecting company."_

" _Got it boss, I'll pace the word. But uh, what 'bout Fixer an' his brew? Got word that Ghoul Broad's got a fixin' to pay him a visit. An' not the customer kind, if ya catch my drift. Big Sal might not like his flow gettin' disrupted it ya know what I mean."_

" _I'll handle Sal. It was a mistake lettin' his shit on our streets. I thought I could mean some dough off him, but that stupid fuck doesn't know restraint. Nah, let her grease him. I mean, they can't trace 'em back to us, right?"_

He shook his head.

" _Nah, boss. Whole point. What's the word, anonymity? Yeah, that's it."_

" _Still make sure you cover our tracks. I want your sniffers on him to make sure nobody gonna be fishy."_

He tipped his Tweed.

" _Gotchya covered there, boss."_

* * *

 **Raul**

* * *

" _That one."_

" _This one? I mean there are— "_

" _No me escuchaste? When I said that one, I mean that one."_

"' _kay, just looks… y'know, kinda ridiculous."_

" _If you knew it's historia, you would not question it in la menor. All I need now is a hat, pero no uno de estos. Now, how much for it?"_

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

Hmm, this one? Well, it doesn't fit too well with this color. Nah. Maybe this one? Oh no, go away you!

I plucked another lob of clothing from the rack I'd picked out.

" _Maybe this one? Or maybe this one?"_

Suddenly Boone called through the door:

" _Do you always take this long to pick your clothes?"_

" _It hasn't been that long!"_

" _It's been thirty minutes."_

I smiled slightly at that.

 _"It's a long process, Boone. I have to find something that looks nice, yet form fits, yet is practically and is— "_

 _"I get it. You have to look nice. Just make up your mind already."_

I just shook my head at him, and sighed:

 _"You were married, Boone. Didn't your wife— "_

I stopped in my tracks, my hands going up to my mouth. Oh God, why did I have to bring her up? You stupid, stupid, dunderhead.

 _"Boone, I'm sorry."_

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

No. Don't think about her. Bury it. Bury it, damn you. She's dead.

Nothing I can do about it. I clenched my hand into a fist. I felt the urge to punch something. I took a breath, slowed down. But doing that just made me remember.

Remember her. Remember how we met. Remember her voice. Her sparkling dress. Remember the look she gave me; how talkative she was.

How I could just walk along, listening to her talk. Didn't need to speak, just listen. It suited me fine. Didn't often have anything to say. Just like now.

" _Boone, I'm sorry. I didn't mean— "_

She stopped mid-sentence. Know why. I just shook my head. I clenched my fist tighter. Felt a fire in my throat, felt a need to unleash it.

No. Not with her. Never with her. She pulled you back. Kept you from going over the edge.

Let go, damn you. Let go.

" _She did."_

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

" _What?"_

" _What you were going to ask. She did. Would spend hours and hours in places like this. Never buy, just look. Just try them in the mirror. Just— "_

I felt that silence, the silence I'm all too familiar with. The one that always haunts me when I think of… when I think of Christine. I felt something on my face, and I moved to wipe it away. Oh God, I'm crying. Damn it girl, just suck it up already you—

I stopped myself, and I just sighed, closing my eyes as I did.

" _Christine was like that too."_

" _Christine?"_

" _She was— "_ I froze there, thinking about what we were. Lovers would be one way of saying it. We did—I did love her, but we weren't like him. Married. I just shook my head and continued, _"we were... close, I guess you could say. Anytime we were out on recon patrols, or req. duties, or just someplace topside… would always drag her to places like this. We never had a lot of caps on hand, the Brotherhood provides everything for you, so a lot we'd get by doing some off-hand scavenging. Selling some junk here and there. So, we'd never get a chance to buy fancy things, or… really anything for that matter."_

I felt the urge to sit down. I guess I did a bit more than that. I slumped against the door, bowing my head between my knees.

" _I just liked to come to these places. See what could've been. What I wanted us to be. Never happen I know, but…"_

I closed my eyes, wiping away more of my tears. I wanted to keep talking, but I felt my voice dry up in my throat.

" _It was nice to think about."_

I craned my head at his direction. I could hear him moving. Feel the weight on the door moving down until I knew he was right across from me. I could hear him sigh as he continued:

" _She was the same way. Dreamed of us being places. Being somewhere else. Always dreaming… always wishing. She… she never liked Novac. The look of it… Manny thought she was just…"_

" _Just what?"_

" _He… didn't like her. Because of me. I know it. I accepted it. But he didn't see her eyes. What she saw when she looked at Novac."_

He stopped and I felt the same sorrow in him as I did with me. I wanted to reach through the door, maybe cradle his big rough, all-too-bottled-up-seriousness. So I asked the painfully obvious:

" _What did she see?"_

" _Horror,"_ he replied after a while, _"and pain. Like me after…"_

He stopped again. I felt the urge to ask what, to see this horror, these demons plaguing him. But I know from personal experience what happens when you push too far. They either push back… or they go further into the darkness. I know because I've seen that darkness, after Helios.

I thought I lost everything. Well, I did. But I still had things… people, to keep me here. Now, I have even more. And I won't push them away.

" _She never told me why. And I never asked. I just—I just wanted her to be happy. She was someone I could…"_

" _Someone you could give your heart to, no questions asked?"_

" _Yes."_

I sighed.

" _Me too."_

I shook my head and laughed a little:

" _Reality stinks."_

I swear a heard a muffled chuckle through the door:

" _Yeah. But I'm used to it."_

" _You and me both,"_ I sighed, rising to my feet and picking out my choice, _"I'll be out in five minutes."_

" _Take your time."_

I grinned at that:

" _Ooh, don't tempt me. I just might."_

* * *

 **Raul**

* * *

As I strapped on El Manos de Dios, y slipped them under el lana poncho, I heard a buzzing behind me. I smiled as I turned to face el máquino:

" _Hey Pequeño! Couldn't get enough of Tío Raul, eh? Well, I'm not surprised. Eh? What are you looking at?"_

I moved across el cuarto over to where Pequeño was hovering. There was a glass case there.

" _Hey, que pasa?"_

He turned to me and played a tune:

" _This is my dreeeaammm! This is hooopppeee! "_

" _Your hope? Qué absurdo son— "_

Y when I saw it, I almost feel to my knees! Fue demasiado gracioso! I laughed y laughed until there were tears in my eyes! Wait, I still have tears? Dios mío, me he puesto suave!

" _Whachya find sooo humorous, pardner? "_

It took me a minute para obtener mis rodamientos!

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

The bell rang as I pushed the door in. Up ahead, I heard the rough laughter that I knew could only belong to one person. And that was confirmed a second later. I mean, c'mon. How many folk this place actually freely speak Spanish?

" _Tu? A Superman costume! No lo creo! Ha ha ha ha!"_

A Superman costume? What the hell?

" _Better believe it! It is my dreeammm ta be a maaannn! "_

" _Él no es un hombre! He's an alien!"_

" _What matter difference has that gotta maaakkkee!? "_

" _All the difference, tu gober!"_

I rounded the corner, Cass close on my six as she bellowed:

" _The fuck are you guys shoutin' 'bout— "_

She froze in mid-sentence and started laughing hysterically, pointing at the pair. When I came about, I immediately saw why:

" _Raul, what the fuck are you wearing?"_

He shrugged his shoulders at me:

" _Como, jefe? I needed to cover El Manos de Dios, after all!"_

Barely able to control herself, or even make a coherent sentence, Cass just cackled:

" _Nice blanket!"_

His face shot up with hot indignation, throwing his hands into the air as he shouted:

" _It is not a blanket! Es un poncho!"_

It was actually a poncho. Faded green wool, a little ragged, with white checkered designs on the collar forming a v with one straight across the chest. I think I've seen this poncho before… meh, I still need to give him shit!

" _Yeah well you can still use it as a blanket, so technically speaking it's still a blanket!"_

Cass was thrown into even more hysterical laughter, falling over onto her back. Raul looked like he was going to explode:

" _Oh por el amor de la mierda!"_

I'm sorry, I just can't pass this opportunity up!

" _Raul, no offense man, that just looks fucking ridiculous!"_

He jabbed a finger at me, his mustache twirling so much I thought they were gonna fall off:

" _You… I thought more highly of you!"_

I gave him my own shit-eating grin:

" _Oh_ _really_ _?"_

" _Si! I thought you were a un hombre de historia! I thought you would appreciate historia cuando la ves!"_

Oh! I know where that's from!

" _Raul, you are not the Man with No Name, no matter how badly you want to be!"_

" _Would you like to put that to the test!?"_

He threw back the Poncho, revealing his strung across holsters, his hands hovering over their contents. I threw out my hands:

" _Oh no! I've been shot enough for today! Take that back, a whole month!"_

Still cackling, Cass smirked at me:

" _Pussy!"_

I turned down to her, shit-grinning her as I did:

" _Oh, I'm sorry! Did you happen to get shot in the_ ** _face_** _and come back from it? No? Then don't talk shit,_ ** _woman_** _!"_

She glared at me, leaping from the floor:

" _You call me woman one more time-!"_

" _Woman_ _."_

And she was going to explode, too! I just smirked and crossed my arms at her. Raul just shook his head:

" _You two have issues."_

" _You have more."_

" _Si, lo hago."_

" _Hey!"_ Veronica called from another room, _"What's going on in there?"_

She and Boone crossed over into the room, and when they did, she just smiled at Raul and craned her head like she was observing the microbes in his poncho:

" _Well, I think that suits you!"_

Boone nodded in agreeance:

" _Yeah… it does. You've gone full western."_

Raul smiled from ear to ear, clapping his hands together:

" _Gracias, tus pichones! Finally, someone who appreciates buena moda when they see it!"_

Veronica just chuckled at him:

" _Still need a hat!"_

" _Si, I will get one soon! So, neo look?"_

Oh yeah, you could say that. I remembered she still had a pretty sizable hole in her armor, and I doubt she'd want to keep wearing that burlap robe without it. She was wearing green work pants, complete with lots of pockets and what I knew from sight to be black combat boots with steel toe caps. Above that, she had a knitted black top cut at the shoulders. On her arms were black sleeves that showed her impressive figure, stopping short and leaving her shoulders exposed (she must've been in that suit for months, her skin could really use a tan).

She had some pretty worn brown leather gloves, the knuckles black from some kind of hard polymer… yup, so those are SAP Gloves. I haven't seen those since… New Reno? I've been to New Reno? Huh. Anyway, she had a burlap scarf around her neck, along with the cap Boone had given her.

Other items of notice, her belt had a couple of pouches around her hips and back. Was going to say something, but Cass kinda beat me to the punch:

" _Gotta say Girlie, ya look nice."_

" _Ah, thank you!"_

" _Yeah,"_ I chuckled, _"does kinda fit— "_

And then I felt my arm getting slugged. Fuck! I should've saw that coming!

" _For fuck's sake, Cass!"_ I exclaimed as I messaged my arm. She just cackled some more at me:

" _Told ya not ta call me woman!"_

" _Yeah, yeah."_

Suddenly V pointed behind me, shrieking like a fat kid in a candy shop:

" _Ah! You got a dog!"_

We all turned to see Rex step into the shop, looking up at all of us with his tongue hanging out.

" _Folks,"_ Cass gestured, _"this is Rex. Rexie, say hi ta— "_

There was a sudden, electronic shrill and ED-E zoomed right over to Rex, almost knocking me over. He bore down on the canine, growling incoherent babble. Rex in turn snarled, going on all fours and bearing his fangs. The two literally started circling one and another, like… well, two dogs about to rip each other's throats out.

" _Hey, guys cut it— "_

When I reach my hand out, they both spun and growled at me. When I backed off, they continued to circle, snarling and scowling as they did. Suddenly ED-E snorted, his voice having an almost metallic but strangely human twang to it:

" _Your move, creep!"_

Suddenly, Rex pounced ED-E; digging his fangs into his armored helm and almost toppling him over. ED-E whirled and bobbed, trying to knock the dog off him. But Rex just kept holding on, and before we knew it he came crashing right through us. We dodged and rolled to the side, except for V who was broadsided and knocked to the floor.

" _Ow,"_ she groaned. ED-E now was going crazy with his shaking, smacking into walls and knocking over stuff on every counter and bookshelf in sight. Then he started throwing the canine against any kind of hard surface he could manage, but Rex just refused to budge.

" _Get offa my back! "_ ED-E suddenly shouted with his rock n' roll playing, _" And into my game! "_

Suddenly there was a massive discharge of electricity, a shower of smoke and one shrieking dog.

" _Get outta my way! And outta my brain! "_

Then ED-E bucked the canine off of him, throwing him against a table. The dog, however, did not stay down. Shaking his fur, he rose right back to his legs and leapt off the table. ED-E whipped to the side, missing the canine by inches. Rex whipped around and snarled at him:

" _ROOF!"_

" _Get outta my face! Or give it your best shot! "_

Rex smiled at him. Yeah, I shit you not, I saw him open his jowls and smile at him. That was when I realized his fangs weren't… well, normal. They were metal, gleaming in the lamp light. And when I looked at ED-E, you could see the bite radius along the rim of his helm.

" _AROO!"_

" _You think you can take me on? You must be crazy! There ain't a single thing you've done that's gonna phase me! "_

The two started circling each other again, Rex drawing his fangs and ED-E bowing low like he was getting ready to pound him:

" _ROWF!"_

" _Ooh, but if ya wanna have a gooooo! I just wanna let you knooowww! "_

 _BANG!_

Everybody dropped to the floor, going for our respective sidearms. I had my Colt drawn and I came up to one knee, but I lowered it when I saw who the shooter was.

 _"Hey, numbskulls!"_ He shouted at the top of his lungs, removing a pair of ear muffs, his other hand cradling his scattergun, _"Nobody kills anybody in my frickin' store. If ya wanna kill each other, take it outside!"_

He then pointed the scattergun right at the pair, and I swear I heard ED-E gulp:

 _"Well, he started it!"_

Rex then nipped at him, ED-E bobbed away shouting:

 _"Hey!"_

 _"I don't frickin' care who started it! Either make up right now, or take it outside, or I'll fill ya both fulla lead!"_

 _"Mick, ya stupid fucker! What have I told you 'bout blowing holes in the ceiling!?"_

He whirled around, shouting at someone out of sight:

" _An' I'm the one who said we shouldn't let frickin' 'bots in here! They keep stirrin' shit up!"_

 _"And I told you— "_

I leaned over to Cass, and whispered softly:

 _"These guys gonna do this for a while, right?"_

She nodded, and I gestured to everybody else to listen:

 _"Then let's slip out quiet-like before they notice."_

Raul held up his hand, and pulled a bag of caps. He pointed to V, who looked at Boone, who shrugged his shoulders. V craned her head, looked over her clothes, and then signaled _Three-Zero._

* * *

 **Unknown**

* * *

That shotgun blast had me worried. My boss's employer has plans for him, and the last thing I need is to say _Sorry, boss all you're gettin' is a corpse_. I could imagine Cortez's face at that. I'd probably lose my job after that. But a minute later, literally all of them came out.

Cass just shook her head:

 _"Okay, that was just nuts."_

Gideon smirked:

 _"You kidding? I've seen worse."_

Almost at the exact same time, the dog and ED-E both barked at him. Then they looked at each other. Well, more like glared. Gideon then turned about and just threw his arms into the air:

 _"Would you two knock this shit off!? I don't need you two tearing up everything we go through!"_

Raul just chuckled at that:

 _"No conozco jefe! I could make a business off these two!"_

Cute One… what's her name? Whatever, she added to this, smilin' cutely as she bellowed like an announcer:

 _"The Ultimate Grudge match!"_ she spread her arms wide, _"The crazy Eye-Bot versus the wacky Robo-dog! Coming to a ring near you!"_

 _"I'd pay to see that,"_ Boone nodded simply. The dog and ED-E just looked at them like _you guys are crazy_ and then back at each other. They craned their heads, looking at each other strangely.

 _"Aroo?"_

The dog then extended his paw up to the eye-bot, who looked at him, at his paw and then sighed.

" _Ain't got time for fightin' anyway, pardner! "_

Wow. The eye-bot actually shook the pooch's paw. Well, sort of. Had to bend an' all and shake with his head… body? Whatever, could really use some arms.

" _So,"_ the Cute One interrupted, _"what's the word with the King?"_ she then giggled like a little girl, _"Oh and any chance I could meet him? I've always wanted to meet Elvis Presley!"_

Boone just shook his head:

" _Elvis is dead."_

She shot him an annoyed look:

" _Fine. The closest to_ _ **an** __Elvis Presley."_

Chuckling, Cass grinned at the pair of them, addressing him:

 _"Don't worry yer head 'bout it. He has that effect with all the girls. And ta answer yer second, maybe."_

She looked at her in horror:

 _"What do mean maybe?"_

 _"I mean maybe."_

 _"But— "_

 _"Ahem,"_ Gideon interrupted, _"don't mean to spoil your fangirling— "_

 _"Fangirling!?"_

 _"Yes, fangirling. But we're here on business, remember?"_

 _"Fine, fine. So, what is the word?"_

 _"Three favors, well technically four if you count Rex, for 6 passports."_

 _"Which are?"_

Cass stepped in:

 _"One you and me are doin', girlie. Let's go, I'll fill you on the details."_

 _"Wait, why me?"_

 _"'Cause yer cute and innocent lookin' and all that. Gonna need that."_

Shit, that's gonna complicate things.

" _Aw,"_ Cute One visibly blushed as the two walked out, _"you flatter me, Cass!"_

" _Now donchya get any ideas, darlin'. Sure, get me 'nough booze and I might consider it."_

" _Oh?"_ she smiled sly, _"Consider what?"_

" _Don't make me spell it out. Girl knows how 'nother swings. Though yer havin' swingin' choice issues."_

" _Aw, you know me so well."_

Gideon swung round and waved at them:

" _You two have fun!"_

Boone came up to him:

" _Where they going?"_

Gideon came about and grinned disarmingly, put his hand on his shoulder:

" _Don't worry, she'll take care of her. Or… maybe the other way around, I dunno."_

" _Thanks,"_ he replied neutrally, lookin' him hard like Sarah Lyons on a bad day, _"but I'd rather know."_

He shrugged simply:

" _Apparently, there's a guy named Orris who's cutting in on the King's protection business. They're just gonna go check him out, make sure he ain't dirty."_

Orris. Okay, I'll need to get in touch with Cortez and get some people to shadow 'em… hmm, I think I know who, too.

" _I see."_

Again, he smiled at him:

" _Boone, c'mon. Considering what we've fought this last week, I don't think some greaser's gonna be that much of an issue."_

He nodded simply:

" _So, where we going?"_

* * *

 **Cortez**

* * *

There is something about the engineering of a firearm that fascinates me. Is it the cold steel finish, the elegance of its refinement by designers who'd put even the Gun Runners to shame? Or is it the complexity of its working parts? So many small, unseen cogs all functioning together to something greater. That should one part fail: the rest would follow in its wake?

Or is it just mewling's of an old soldier about his trade of business? I have killed many men with this instrument. And many more like it. Yet, this one is something truly special. To me, at least.

One might find it surprising, considering my background. I suppose it is. I trained with all weapons, of course. Became quite good with all of them. But to me, and those who served me when we had a cause beyond just money and clients, our trade was with the harness of plasma.

Plasma is lethal. It is efficient. It leaves nothing of its target save for a grave reminder to those who oppose me. Oppose Nova America. It was our signature, our calling card.

But there is something… personal. Personal about a firearm. Personal about its feel, about its history. A feat of engineering that has stood the test of a millennium. Something beyond simple words… instinctual.

When you looked down the barrel of a firearm, see the darkness there waiting for you… provides a moment of clarity. A moment, just a moment. To see your life, see who you are… what you are… everything that led up to your moment of truth. Then that moment is gone. Replaced by a coldness.

Yet, with plasma… there is only a flash. Only fire. No clarity. No insight. Only death.

" _A tasteless death."_

There is message there. A message that can't be made with such inhumanity. A strange concept, I know. But death is meaningless without the personal fiber to elevate it. That is among the reasons the Enclave never would conquer its enemies.

You can vaporize all you wish. But without that message… without that moment of clarity, locked upon their faces… you lose an effectiveness. Perhaps because there is nothing to see, save for a pile of goo. No personal fiber for one to see, no horror to imagine. No real fear.

There is fear seeing inhumanity. But no pure, cerebral fear. The Greeks called it _Phobus._ A pure desolation of the soul… a burning of hope… a stoppage of opposition. Rather, you leave room for a unifying strength to come together.

And for this, for underestimating its even… weakest, opponents… for not getting that point across: The Enclave fell to its own hubris. I can only hope I do not fall to the same…

" _Mistake."_

This weapon, this Colt Model 933, is a relic from the past. Pax Americana. Much like my employer. It is elegant yet efficient, compact yet accurate. A paratrooper's weapon, much shown by its green camouflage, and of course its users symbol.

" _All-American."_

To most, a catchy phrase. A uniqueness to the weapon. Yet, they would not understand its history, nor the history of its owner. The 82nd Airborne were legendary daredevils: fearless and fully capable of matching any they faced.

However, that is not where they got their name from. The name came from its founding. It conscripted soldiers from all states of America. All men, all walks of life… All-American. A true symbol of American unity, a merging of differences into a formidable weapon.

I have based the founding of my Gunners in much the same way. All 100 members are not the same in any shape… or form. Unlike the Legion, the Republic or my former employers, I do not seek to stamp out these differences. Rather I have left them be. Let them flourish.

Some might see this as chaos. As a gaggle to fall to pieces. That uniformity is the standard for any standard army. This is the price of old thinking. Of paying tribute to older… antiquated, ideals.

I do not seek to resurrect the dead. This was death of the Enclave, and one day the Republic and the Legion. Instead, I seek something new. And yet… something old. I look to the past, but only for inspiration… not for manifest.

By leaving difference, the variation of cultures and people, I have allowed for a greater degree of loyalty than possible with any total uniformity. I have given them freedom. Freedom to be… without judgement. Now, I have given them purpose. Purpose… through me.

Raiders, mercenaries, tribals, soldiers, travelers, vigilantes… all different, yet all the same. In Feudal Japan, there was a phrase for us.

" _Ronin."_

Warriors without country. Without masters. That is what unifies us. Our past, our profession our… differences. These are our strengths and these will be our future.

There was a knock at the door.

" _Come."_

It was Breaker, my comm. officer. Ex-prospector, ex-Disk Jockey. Found him in a no-name town outside of Boise, Idaho. Master of his craft, though not when it comes to not getting himself mauled by Yao Gui. Also had a habit of chewing bubble gum… constantly.

" _Gotta a message from Wade, boss. Hot off the press."_

He handed me a print-out. With our operations, clandestine and covert… much to my employers wishes, and my own, the need for silent communication became paramount. Too many eyes in the city for simple runners, even with the Hive's many entrance points. Dead Drops are efficient, but are far too slow for our pace of transfers. Radio's would be logical; however, the Republic owns the air.

Even with encrypted data, it could be traced. Followed back to us. Not our employer's wishes, or designs. Not yet anyway. So, I taught my Gunners a method the Tesla Corps taught me.

Not exactly Morse Code. My own modifications. However, it is silent and untraceable to all who do not know our code. I read through the message, deciphering the many dots, lines and dashes into… comprehensible, messages:

 _Status [Stop] Require… Eyes [Stop] Package… Split… Pairs [stop] Request… Apache… Shooter [Stop]Alpha… Plaza [Stop] Confirm [Stop] Confirm [Message End]_

I handed the print-out back to Breaker.

" _Send a confirm message."_

He nodded:

" _Roger, boss."_

I sighed deeply. A day ago, Victor spotted Gideon and his posse heading north… towards Vegas. House requested we keep eyes on them at all times. Watch what they do, where they go, and most importantly… at least to House personally, how they interact. It is no secret that Freeside is a tender and the match is close at hand, and House sees this as a way of… procuring data.

It is also no secret that I do not trust this one-eyed-cowboy, nor the colorful companions he's acquired. They're a… wildcard, so to speak. A rogue element. No way to know how they'll take our operations, or House's designs, until they see for themselves. But I am not House, and Robert holds our contract, so his orders are gold.

So, I've sent my best man for the task, though the term 'man' for him is something of a… dispute, among those who've been with me the longest. **Wade Nilsson** , regardless of his young age, is perhaps my most loyal soldier. Perhaps because I see something in him that I once saw in me? After all, we both came from a childhood stripped from the both of us, and yet persevered. I might dare even say that in the wastes… found our truer selves, and our… truer callings.

After all, not many can boast they'd crossed the ruined span of this continent. Travelling from Washington, this Capital Wasteland, to find himself in the crime ridden slums of Chinatown. All alone, and yet alive. And… stronger, for those reasons. And in the desolate palace of the Shi and their mechanical Emperor, I found him and gave him a place among my fellow warriors.

He has served by my side ever since. He is only 19, but he fights like any veteran… thinks, like any veteran. And he has never shown greed, or wrath in his duties. Only devotion. Only loyalty.

These are the reasons I've sent him forth… well that and the fact he was returning from a month-long assignment, so he was closer. And now he requires assistance. I will gladly grant him this.

* * *

 **Benny**

* * *

" _I told you once, Benny. And I'll tell you again._ ** _I'm_** _…_ ** _not_** _…_ ** _interested_** _!"_

" _C'mon on Jue…"_

" _Don't. Don't call me that."_

I smiled my platinum-apiece smile, and she grew a might bit redder in the cheeks:

" _Didn't say that a month ago… under the covers I mean."_

I saw that slap coming from a skyline away, but I didn't care much. I like her better when she's angry. Still got that ol' Raider in her, much as she cares to deny it. Once used to run with a gang outside the Boneyard. Vipers, can tell from her mohawk, worst of the worst till them California boys put them down like Vermin.

I still question how she survived all those bullets, but I've seen the scars. All of 'em, and trust me, they ain't pretty. Got nursed up by those do-gooders, and at the end, our Julie Farkas decided to join 'em too. Lucky bastards are what they are. She should be rolling high suites with the finest company, but they send her to this slimehole. But she don't complain, see?

Takes the mission with pride, head held high, dig? And that's why those do-gooders are lucky. And why I'm lucky to spend the odd night with her when I get the chance. I messaged my jaw, smiling, as she gave me that ol' Medusa stare:

" _You're despicable, Benny."_

" _And that's why you love me, doll. 'Sides, you haven't heard what I have to offer."_

" _I don't need to. It's another plot to dethrone House."_

" _Right you are, but— "_

" _Benny, you've become obsessed over this. It's going to get you killed."_

" _Nah. If this place hasn't been able to kill me yet, it probably won't. Besides, I've got the keys to the castle right here."_

I tossed over the chip onto the table. She looked at it, picking it up.

" _What is this?"_

" _That, Jue, is something House's been trying to get his hands on for the past couple centuries. Something that'll change the game. Give this place a fighting chance."_

She looked me annoyed:

" _But what is it_ _exactly_ _?"_

" _It's a data-chip. According to Yes-Man, it has all sorts of secrets on it."_

" _Let me guess. You want help opening it?"_

" _Well, you already got Emily and her tech boys doing— "_

" _I've told them to stop."_

" _What? Why? You have no love for House, and for what he's been doing."_

" _No, I don't. But House is not an enemy I need right now."_

" _House_ _is_ _the enemy, Jue."_

" _Benny, look around you! This place is falling apart at the seams, and we're barely holding it together! I_ _do not_ _need you bringing more trouble on my people!"_

" _Jue, House is gonna push you out and these folks out if we don't do something!"_

" _Don't play Samaritan with me, Benny. I know you. I know why you're doing this, and I do not care! So take your chip,"_ she tossed it right back at me, _"and get out of here!"_

" _Jue— "_

" _Go!"_

* * *

 **Wade**

* * *

Alpha Plaza was our nickname for the unused parking lot behind the equally unused Super-Duper-Mart. Every time I see this place, I keep thinkin' of those Raiders who camped out in a place just like this one back in the Capital Wasteland. Ran into 'em a few times, but never bothered to go in. Wasn't crazy enough to do so. But I didn't need to… I think.

Word was that guy from that Vault… 101, I think. Anyhow, most people called him the Lone Wanderer… well, I say most but I really mean Three-Dog.

" _People of the Capital Wasteland! It is I, Three-Dog, your ruler! Hear me and obey! Hehe! Oh, I'm sorry children. I couldn't resist rubbing into ol' Eden's face,"_ I remember chucklin' at that, all those years ago, _"May he_ _rot_ _in peace! Anyhow, got some great word about that Kid from Vault 101. Y'know, the Lone Wanderer? Ah, you know who I'm talkin' 'bout."_

Night after night, I'd always tune into GNR. Listenin' till I slept. Hearin' the stories of the Lone Wanderer an' his band of wasteland 'venturers and vigilantes. Goin' from place to place, righting wrongs and the like. Used to make me sleep better at night. Funny part was, though, that he may have saved my ass probably a hundred times in the past four years.

I pulled around my bag and pulled out my hard copy of _The Wasteland Survival Guide_. Thing was pretty ragged, all white with a half black skull on the cover. I opened the cover, found penned there:

 _Co-Author and Expert of Subject Matter – Benjamin 'Benjie' Joseph Kane_

 _Co-Author and Editor-in-chief – Moira Brown_

 _Noted Survival Specialists:_

 _Sydney Corban Kane, Merc and owner of Moonbeam Armaments [next time some egg-head tells you finding a historical document is a good idea, do yourself a favor and shoot him in the face]_

 _Charon, bodyguard [don't trust people who smile when they talk. They always have an angle]_

 _Sergeant RL-3, robotic soldier [nothing quite like the smell of cooking Raiders, monsters, and Commies in the morning]_

 _Nadine, Skipper of the Duchess Gambit [don't get on strange boats with stranger men, let me tell you]_

 _Elliot Tercorien, travelling doctor [always assume someone, or_ _something_ _, is watching you. You look up at the stars, don't forget something_ _else_ _is looking right back]_

 _A forward by Benjie:_

 _Let me start with this: where ever you are: cold, hungry, lost and confused… I've been there too. I was born and raised in a Vault, and when the day came for me to eventually make myself new out in the wastes… well, I won't sugar coat it for y'all._

 _I got my ass kicked, cooked and handed to me more times than I can count. I got sick, bone-broken and shot at 'cause of my many,_ ** _MANY_** _, dumb rookie mistakes. Truth be told, I'm only alive 'cause of some seriously dumb luck… and of course having friends I could count on. But trust me… that was a long and damnably hard road for me to take on._

 _So, that's why this book was written. For_ ** _YOU_** _. I went through hell learning how to survive. I'm going to make that less painful for you. This book is full of everything I learned from a **very** long list of misadventures, plus the lessons of those who taught me how to survive. Trust me, I went through a lot of pain getting this thing written (thanks, Moira!)_

 _(MB: Hey, what's a little Radiation poisoning among friends, eh?)_

 _Let me tell you something you need to know, and something you need to carry with you till the day you hit the grave. Life ain't green grass and meadows. It is mean and ugly, and it'll beat you to a pulp if you let it. Only way you survive is you get back up and_ ** _learn_** _how to take the hits, and give 'em right back._

 _Hopefully, this book will give you the tools to build those talents. If not, well, you can sue me in Hell or Heaven or where ever you end up._

There was sudden rattlin' sound and I knew I was about to have company. Everything around the mart was shakin', trashcans falling over. Most would be pretty freaked out about it, thinkin' it was quake back in Frisco. But wait a few seconds and you see what it really is. Up ahead of me the road dropped down and then slid in under the rest of the mart.

That revealed a metal flattop, which broke apart with a loud hiss. That revealed a stairwell, and soon after, my backup.

" _Ya'ateh, Wade!"_

I smiled a little as I answered back:

" _Da'anzho, Illie."_

Illanipi, or Illie as I called her, once a time ago was my instructor when I joined Cortez's Gunners. Now, she was my closest friend. Well, one of them anyway. She'd been a Ndee Apache, livin' with her clan out east in Arizona at a place called Rez. Then the Legion came.

They were taken into slavery. Her mother died protectin' her till she was old enough to do herself. She spent five years in the court of Caesar, until the day Cortez raided the encampment she was at. Freed her, took her as one of his own. And in the end she ended up showin' me the ropes when it was my turn.

She's perhaps the best tracker I've ever met. But then again, that really ain't all that much of a surprise. She was a tad short, but well honed. Had smoke-like skin with heart shaped face, thick black hair life a buffalo's, matched with stunnin' emerald eyes that looked at you like a hunter at work. Could tell everythin' about you just from a glance.

Granted, she had the look of always being pissed. Like she was always snarlin' at somethin'. That ain't her fault, actually. Her face was broken in so many times she suffered nerve damage in the lower left part of her face, 'cluding her cheek, chin and parts of her lip. Funny part was, she figured it's what gave her charm and always keepin' the _'gropey hands out of my pants'._

She was wearin' black and blue cotton pants and shirt, long with a cut-off sleeve biker vest and red strips wrapped around her forearms. And course her long moccasins, and her red bandana looped around her forehead. She walked up to me, shakin' her head as she glared at me:

" _You got uglier, Wade. Someone got tired of you stealin' their women? 'cide to put you in the mud?"_

I smirked a little:

" _Yeah. Could say that. Still got his girl in the end."_

She just shook her head and half smiled, half scowled:

" _Stupid."_

She then embraced me tightly, holdin' me there like a damn Yao Gui.

" _I missed you, ya stupid, reckless brat."_

" _Brat?"_ I chuckled as hugged her back, _"You're only five years older than me!"_

" _Still a brat. Swear you're still makin' same rookie mistakes ya did when I first beat ya in."_

" _Ha ha, you didn't beat me in."_

" _Really?"_

She gave me her classic killer-scowl, like one seriously pissed off Rattler. And when I gulped, like I always do, she again half grinned-half-snarled at me.

" _Hey! You chiquillas gonna forget I'm here too?"_

" _Sorry Miam,"_ I chuckled as I pushed Illie off me, _"I missed you too."_

" _Likewise, you giant klutz. Come here."_

" _Yeah alright."_

Teresa Miam was our teams Designated Marksman. Ex-First Recon, still wears their colors with pride. Used to be a game hunter back in the day, way back in Baja. Republic came in, offered her a place. Served years till somethin' bad happened, and she filed her discharge papers.

Left without another word. Won't talk about it, and I don't push it.

" _So, got anything for me, chico?"_

" _Yeah."_

When I was up in Redding, came across a Vault-Tec HQ. Miam's always lookin' for more Vault-Boy bobble heads to add to her collection. And this one was one she'd been looking for years. Clover leaves and all.

" _A Lucky Irish? Aw, thanks."_

" _Hey, no problem."_

Miam was a little taller than me, thirties (I never asked her exact age), with smooth bark colored skin, short cropped black hair tucked into her red beret. She had a face like she belonged to some beauty mag or something, and complete with those aviators she always wore: made her look like one cool action star. 'side from that, still wore her plain tan BDU's she got from Recon, 'cept with the all-sage-green flight jacket and her cowboy boots.

" _So,"_ she shoved the bobble head into her coat as she grinned at me, _"heard you needed some help?"_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _Okay so how does this work? We say a pass phrase, open sesame or something or other?"_

" _Jefe, you are the first to say that correctly."_

" _Oh good. But seriously, how do we open this door? Boone, you don't have any explosives on you, do you?"_

" _No, and I don't think blowing a hole in this thing is a good idea either."_

" _It'd be fun to see."_

" _Oh, sí sería."_

" _Ya know,"_ I looked up to see a young man standing at the battlements of the fort, looking down at us, _"you guys could just ask!"_

" _Where's the fun in that?"_ I called back, _"But seriously, open the door!"_

" _What's your business here?"_

" _I didn't think we needed one!"_

" _Well you do! You guys don't look near dead or sick to the bone!"_

" _Pues… one of us is."_

Raul patted Rex around the ears and he barked up at him. The guy was taken a back a second:

" _What's Rex doing with you guys?"_

" _The King sent us! He says he wants Rex to get a look over! And that he wants us to talk to a guy named Wayne!"_

" _Oh,"_ he nodded slowly, _"alright, gimme a minute."_

I looked over to Raul, and I noticed he had a pocket watch out.

" _Are you seriously timing him?"_

" _Yes,"_ he grinned, _"want to see if the boy is up to his word."_

" _And if he's over?"_ Boone asked, to which Raul chuckled slightly, wiggling his mustache as he did:

" _Then I get to shoot him!"_

" _Wait, what!? "_ ED-E exclaimed, _" Pardner, yer nuts! "_

" _Como? You haven't figured that out yet?"_

" _Hey,"_ I jabbed a finger at him, _"no shooting. I got my fill back in Boulder."_

" _Yes,"_ he grinned slyly, _"yes you did. How was she?"_

" _Who?"_

" _Don't be coy. You are looking a might bit more alive, jefe. She te devuelve a la vida?"_

I smiled at him as I shook my head, eying him with my one eye:

" _Men do not talk about their women that way."_

" _Aw, she is your woman now? Ya veo!"_

" _Raul, shut up before I kneecap you and drop you into a lake."_

" _Somehow,"_ Boone replied, a ghost of a smile passing his lips, _"I don't think that'd work."_

" _How 'bout some disintegratiooonnnn? "_

" _I don't think you understand, pequeño. I am_ _invincible_ _!"_

" _Oh really!?"_ a sudden, rough, raspy and almost Texan voice bellowed through the door, _"Not from my count, ya greasy, slimy, no-good fibber-mouth!"_

For the first time since I met him, Raul was lost for words. Okay, I'm starting to get scared now.

" _Beatrix?"_ Raul gasped, his eyes going wide and his mouth dropping, _"Is that—is that really you?"_

The door opened wide and there standing right in the middle was... a ghoul. A female ghoul. Oh.

" _That's right,"_ she growled slightly, _"still don't believe in Karma, eh? Well, it's finally caught up with you, Raul Alfonso Tejada."_

This Beatrix had about the same resemblance to pretty much every ghoul I've ever met. Rough tattered red and sickly pinkish skin like she'd been burned but somehow survived. What singled her out though was obvious her curves and body shape. I suspect she might've a been a fairly good looking woman before… well, her skin fell off. But something I've never seen before in anything resembling these strangely intelligent zombies was her mane of silver white hair that ran over her shoulders.

Stuff looked like quicksilver, and almost had the same shine to it. She was wearing a long faded green duster, complete with kakis tucked into knee high riding boots and a leather desperado hat. In all honesty, she looked like one mean as hell gunslinger. Wait a second, two ghoul gunslingers!? Oh man, I've got a bad feeling about this.

" _Beatrix Josefine Russell,"_ Raul said with a smile as he brushed past me, his arms held wide and disarmingly, _"it is so good to see you again! What has it been? Five years?"_

" _Try fifteen,"_ she snarled, _"and you ain't talking your way out of this."_

She then drew a pearl handled revolver, and my hand went for my own.

" _Como?"_ he shrieked in shock, _"What have I done to you to earn this misplaced scorn?"_

" _You dumped me, remember?"_

" _Beatrix, I didn't dump you. I got kidnapped."_

" _Bullshit."_

" _No en serio! One minute I'm getting las mejores bebidas imaginables, and the next there's a bag over my head!"_

" _Really?"_ she replied sarcastically, _"And what'd they want with a washed up old Mexican like you?"_

" _Apparently, yo estaba caliente! I was put in the ring with desperados'_ _y monstrous! I had to fight my way out!"_

" _Again, bullshit!"_

" _Ningún bullshit! It was run by a loca mujer roja named Lucy!"_

Lucy? I know that name.

" _The Thorn thanks you stranger,"_ I mused softly.

" _What?"_ Boone whispered. I just shook my head:

" _Nothing."_

" _Then why didn't you come find me?"_

" _I did! Pero, I was over a cien millas de distancia! By the time I came to find you, you already gone!"_

Her eyes went wide and then they closed with remorse. She holstered her piece, and shook her head.

" _I went looking for you, Raul. I spent years shooting and stringing places up trying to find you."_

" _Y aquí estoy Beatrix,"_ he replied, his voice muddled with regret as he flopped his arms to his side, _"I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner. I really am."_

" _Me too."_

The two stared at each other for what was probably a minute but stretched into a feeling eternity. I leaned over to Boone and whispered to him:

" _This… you ever seen something like this?"_

" _No. I'll add to this to my list of stranger things."_

And of course, it was up to ED-E to break the silence:

" _Just kiss 'er, already! This wearing siiilleeence is startin' ta wear on me! "_

" _Shut up, pequeño!"_ Raul, again for the first time since I've met him, snarled at him, _"Can't you see we're having a moment here!?"_

" _Meep,"_ and ED-E ducked behind me.

" _I dunno,"_ Beatrix chuckled, _"bot seems kinda funny."_

" _Si, he is… at times."_

" _Yeah?"_

" _Mmmhmm."_

As they talked the edged closer and closer until… Beatrix slapped him. Recoiling, his hand on his cheek, Raul shrieked:

" _Que demonios!? What was that for!?"_

" _That was for fighting bandits and monsters without me!"_

Then she grabbed him by the hand and yanked him over.

" _But this… this is for coming back."_

Ya know, I never thought I'd see two ghouls kissing each other. But you know what? It's strangely beautiful. Then again, I never expected Raul, the smartass venerable gunslinger and talltaler to actually have someone of the opposite sex in his life. So, I guess there is that.

They closed with each other, holding the other tightly up until Raul dipped her over like a Knight in some, actually happy ending fairytale with his woman. Finally, after a minute or so, they broke apart, Raul holding her softly by the neck as he whispered:

" _I've missed you, Beatrix."_

" _You too, Raul. Forgot you're a fine good kisser."_

He grinned at that:

" _Well, I try."_

" _Ahem, I'm sorry to break this up. Truly, I am. But we need to talk to your boss."_


	24. Chapter XXIII: King's Gambit

**Chapter XXIII:**

 **King's Gambit**

* * *

 **Benny**

* * *

Guess I shoulda guessed she'd throw such a hissy-fit. Then again, wouldn't be my dazzling rough-round edges firecracker if she didn't. Granted, I didn't expect her to kick me out the door! Guess I have that way with most finer-of-the-two-sexes, eh? I got up from the ground, and dusted off my clothes.

I'm filthier than a swine. Well, ain't the best… what do they call those? Metaphors? Analogies? Ah, analogies.

See, I do not eat swine. Sure, bacon and ham and chop and all that? But they eat and sleep in their own shit, dig? I do not eat something that ain't got the decency or class or style to pick a corner to do its business instead of the dinner table. Filthy animals.

Still, I expected Jue to be a hard crack to nut… did I say that wrong? Anyways, hard case, dig? But, I can be patient. House may know I have the Chip, but he knows what I'll do if I even see his goons tramp round my High Roller Suite. Maybe the reason he hasn't sicked that psycho Cortez on me.

If he knew I was out here though… brrr, don't need to think about that. Back to what I was saying. I have time. She'll come round. Just need to be patient.

" _So, what in the blazes y'all doin' with this old Mexican, eh?"_

" _Son mis súbditos, Beatrix!"_

" _No, we're not, Raul. Last I recall, it was_ _us_ _who got_ _you_ _out of that cell, remember?"_

" _Si, boss. But_ _tu_ _forget that without_ _yo_ _,_ _you_ _would never have gotten off that mountain!"_

" _That's not how I recalled it."_

" _Machismo, you did not show hasta el final."_

" _Still saved your sorrryyy hide, pardner! "_

" _Como? I was in perfect control! Planeé para escapar de todo y matarlos—"_

" _Raul, for the love of Sam Houston, would ya quit your damn talltaling!? Jeez Louise, I think ya've gotten worser since you were last with me!"_

" _Yes, dear."_

" _Thank you. Now, one-eye— ah, what the hell are y'all's names?"_

" _Well, this is Boone, ED-E. I'm Gideon. Gideon Maddox."_

I froze like lead. No, that can't—how the hell…

" _Pleasure. So, how'd y'all come to meet our mutual ass-kisser?"_

" _Only of the finest, Cariña."_

" _Which you will be doin' a lot tonight, Raul. You and me got some serious catching up to do."_

" _Just don't bring the whips."_

" _Wait, whips?"_

" _I'm a dom, honey. Well, when I'm in the mood. Which nowadays ain't all that often. And don't gimme that look, Raul. Alright, fine. Wasn't even gonna go that swinging way anyways. So, how'd you meet?"_

I turned round slowly. When I did… man, even a scaredy-cat pacing through wilddog turf ain't as scared as me. Jesus, am I seeing a frickin' ghost or something? Come back to haunt me? I didn't think I'd pissed off the big man upstairs that bad.

" _Well, in a sentence. Crazy Super Mutants and a lot of bullets."_

" _Raul, you fightin' crazy green bastards without me? The hell's gotten into you?"_

" _Not my choice, Cariña. They made me fix toasters."_

Beatrix, that freaky ass Ghoul, slapped her cheeks together like she was doing some kinda mock horror.

 _"Oh, the horror! Toasters!? Raul, what would you do without me?"_

 _"Yes, Raul. What would you do without her?"_

 _"Respectfully, boss? Cierra tu maldita boca."_

 _"Raul, mis amigo, you have given me so much shit over the past week. I'm just returning the favor."_

How the rolling dices is this cat still breathing? I mean, I put two in this guy! In the face! How does some schmuck get up from that? See, clearly he did seeing as half his ugly mug is covered in bandages, and goin' off how scruffy his whiskers are he must've gotten up a couple weeks ago!

How the hell—I mean just how in all the lucky rolls and good hands could this cat be alive?

 _"So what y'all doin' here then?"_

 _"Well, the seriously short version is that I've been hunting a Chairmen named Benny—"_

Oh shit. Guy knows my name. Oh shit, oh shit, oh frickin' goddamned shit!

 _"Left me in a grave. Raul, and company have been helping me track him down. But now we need to get onto the Strip, so we're doing favors for the King—"_

 _"In exchange for fakes? Yeah, I see why. So, assumin' y'all here to see Wayne and his boys?"_

 _"Yeah. What can you tell us about them?"_

 _"Not much. Came in here three days back, beat to shit and all. Barely woke a couple hours back. But their doc oughta know more."_

 _"Right, well let's go see him then. Oh, and where can we drop off Rex?"_

 _"I can take him over to Julie if y'all don't mind. Wayne's over in that tent over yonder."_

Wait a second. Wait a flippin', goddamned second. House, ah House you sly son of a bitch. Course, why didn't I see somethin' like this coming? Well, probably couldn't but still!

You do like your surprises. Always were good at poker, too. Always played that wild card hand, see? Always got that Joker somewhere in midst. Thought you cancel out this ace, eh?

Well, probably woulda work, too. My hand felt for Maria, but I held it back. Gideon's got some serious boys at his back. Probably take me down after him. Nah, I gotta play this right.

But still, gotta think why House'd play his hand all on this cat? Why's he so special? And how'd he survive all the wasteland, and get these hardboils to come and get me? And working with the Kings? That oughta mean he knows people.

Who is Gideon Maddox? Well, that's something I need to find out, maybe play to my advantage. I quickly swept out the back with a buncha desperate cases and made my way back to the gate. Quickly showed my fake, and was back in the Strip another beggar in the midst. We'll see each other again soon, Gideon.

Soon.

* * *

 **Miam**

* * *

I do admit, I missed Wade. Sabelotodo, always has ways of making me laugh. Don't get me wrong though, he truly knows how to drive me crazy. Sabe cómo meterse bajo mi piel. Lord knows, the number of loco de amor chicas that I've had to save him from… ah, a quién estoy engañando?

I do love the little trouble maker. But, I'm not here to discuss mi pupilo. I adjusted my shades, the sun meeting that annoying hour when toma una venganza en tus ojos. It's pure hell for us marksmen. Makes a distortion, hurts your depth perception, plays with the shadows…

Oh Dios, forgive me for taking your name in vain, I'm rambling. I just shook my head, grabbing mi boina and stuffing it in my coat. Yes, I know we made the pact to never take them off. To wear them always. But, it is something that makes me stand out, y no necesito destacarme.

A good thing though that Boone or Bitter-Root aren't here. Oh, la mierda que me dieron… Hmm, is that chili I smell? Hmm, that's so good… no, don't get distracted. Stay on mission. I weaved through the marketplace, bumbling through countless shops and los niños lindos… aw, that's so cute!

Little niña dressed like a little princess… still has the cráneo for a face, but still!

" _Boop,"_ she giggled as she popped a little wand on my leg, _"you've been dusted!"_

" _Dusted, eh niñita? What happens now?"_

She giggled at me:

" _You fly now, silly!"_

" _And fly away I shall!"_ I laughed, flapping my arms as I walked about. She just kept giggling at me:

" _You're weird!"_

I smiled down at her:

" _You were weird first, niñita! Mucho gracias for the magic dust, though."_

" _Happy Eve!"_

And she was off. Children can be a wonder. Una verdadera maravilla. Yes, I know they can also be a real dolor en mi culo, tambien. I've done my fair share of turning chicos into hombres, y chicas into mujer over the years.

But there is an innocence to them. An innocence that gives me hope that someday, there won't be a need for asesinos de piedra fría like me. Ah, I'm rambling again. Back to point. I managed to catch up with two of this Courier's party as they headed out to go see Orris.

I immediately recognized one of them. Señora Cassidy. I'd seen her around enough times in Freeside, and knew of her reputation. It does make me wonder, though. Why is she following this Courier?

Maybe he offered su venganza? I suppose I'll find that out soon. The other one, the younger one… ella es nueva. Never seen her before. Again, how does un cartero attract so many people to his cause?

I shook my head. Cortez is right. I do think too much

" _So,"_ the younger of the two began, grinning as she did, _"how was it?"_

Cassidy grinned at her playfully:

" _How was what?"_

" _Oh, don't be coy, Cass. You and Gideon have certainly been getting friendlier."_

" _Could say the same fer you and Boone."_

She blushed so deeply I thought she might turn into un tomate.

" _No. No, nothing happened—"_

 _"Really?"_ Cassidy grinned slyly, _"When a man gets your bra size right…"_

 _"Boone's sweet,"_ she quickly cut her off, _"but nothing happened."_

 _"Uh huh. Sure. He's isn't a bad lookin' man. A little rough fer my taste. But mebbe you just like yer choices ta be interstin', eh?"_

 _"Cass, please stop embarrassing me,"_ she laughed embarrassingly, shaking a little as she walked, _"you're making me feel so dizzy."_

 _"Not the first time someone's told me that,"_ she grinned, _"so, if you and Mr. Shades didn't…"_ she paused, looking around at all the children around, shaking her head, _"have_ _that_ _kinda fun-"_

 _"Well, do you notice I'm not wearing my suit?"_

 _"Wait, are you sayin'-"_

 _"Yeah. I had Boone help me take it off… and I kinda forgot I wasn't wearing anything else."_

 _"Well, that's a first."_

 _"First what?"_

 _"Well when a guy catches a gal in that sorta situation-"_

She smiled over at her:

 _"As I said, Boone's sweet once you get past all his Gruffy-McGruffiness."_

She laughed at that:

 _"I might start usin' that, actually."_

Ah girls. I just shook my head at them. Always so much chismoso when it comes to our hombres. Though, from the way el lindo kept checking out Cassidy's assets every ten seconds or so… she is right. She does like to keep her choices interesting.

" _So,"_ she grinned again, _"now I think the bottles spun to you._

" _Uh? What the…"_ she looked around, _"heck, are you talkin' 'bout?"_

" _You're so cute when you're trying not to cuss."_

That she is.

" _Hey, may curse like a Sailor, but these kiddies got 'nough issues as it is without me givin' 'em a bad influence."_

" _Ah, you're so thoughtful. But seriously, you've never played Spin the Bottle before?"_

" _I have. But the version_ _I_ _played has ya kiss whomever ya spin on."_

She blushed again:

" _Mine was more like Truth or Dare… though if that's your preference—"_

" _Buy me dinner first,"_ she grinned, _"and I might consider it."_

" _Whoo, tempting. But back to my point, I Dare you to Truth."_

" _Well, if ya put it that way… I dunno."_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _I mean, I dunno."_

" _Well, I mean… was it… he or, I mean… was it fun at least?"_

" _Now why you so interested in our mutual friend, eh? Ya think of addin' him to yer list of charmin' conquests?"_

" _Well,"_ she chuckled, _"he certainly is quite the character. I mean, he's no Superman—"_

" _That honor goes to ED-E."_

" _Ha! Yeah. But still—"_

" _Yeah, I get yer point. To answer yer question… well… ah, the heck with it. He's been the best I've had fer a_ _very_ _long time."_

" _Oooh, tell me more!"_

" _Not here. Mebbe later. Let's just say he's quite experienced when it comes to the finer points, if ya catch my meanin'."_

" _I think I do. But why are you still so confused about it?"_

" _Well, that's the thing. See, most of the time it's one and done. Walk away happy and all. Mebbe run 'round him again, do him again. Always the same feelin'."_

" _No complications?"_

" _Mmm hmm. But Gid… I dunno how I feel. I just feel… different."_

She grinned so wide at her I thought it might fall off like Colón debería haber caído de la Tierra.

" _Cass, you've been Moonstuck."_

" _Moonstruck?"_

" _Comes from an old movie. A lady's gotta marry one man, but ends up stumbling for his brother."_

" _Sounds familiar. How'd that happen?"_

" _Well in no uncertain terms,"_ she then took on this weird acento Italiano, like all those 'respect and family' totting mafioso's up in Little Italy up Northern San Fran, _"'Everythin' seems like nothin' to me now. I want you in my bed. I don't care if I burn in Hell. I don't care if you burn in Hell. The past an' the future is a joke to me now. I see they're nothin'. I see they ain't here. All that is, is you and me.'"_

" _Ya know,"_ Cassidy laughed, _"had me a guy who said that ta me once."_

" _Really?"_

" _Word fer frickin' word. Wanna know what I did?"_

" _You… accepted?"_

" _No. I kneed him in the… well, you know where."_

" _Did you do that to Gideon?"_

" _Well, no."_

" _Then my reasoning still stands. You, Cass, are in love."_

" _Bullsh— ahem, girlie, yer crazy."_

No, she's not. I just shook my head them, and at the rest of this mundo estúpido loco! This is problem with most of us. You spend your entire life trying to find someone to settle down with. But when you do, you don't realize it, and when you do realize it, you run away!

Estúpido. Sólo pura estupidez. I sometimes question how the hell we got this far.

" _So, where are we heading?"_

" _To pay a swindler a visit. And if things go the way I think they will, pay 'em a bad hand."_

" _Well, that sounds exciting!"_

* * *

 **Wade**

* * *

" _So, you got caught?"_

" _No."_

 _"Really?"_ Illie half-smiled, half scowled at me, _"Then please explain why you're changin' clothes then, brat?"_

 _"Just taking precautions."_

 _"The boys are gonna be upset with you. You losing your cred and all."_

I whirled around, jutting a finger at the Apache:

 _"Don't you dare."_

 _"Don't worry,"_ she scowl-grinned me, _"you'll have all night to convince me."_

I grinned right back:

 _"Is that a challenge?"_

 _"Bet your ass it is."_

I just shook my head at her:

 _"Ndé-nii dibéhé, ndé 'isdzán."_

She scowl-grinned right back:

 _"Zhii-má."_

I took a chance and started to lean in a little closer. She just grinned at me as I loop my arm over her against the wall.

 _"Really?"_

 _"There are more than one ways to convince you, after all."_

I knew it was coming, but I didn't bother stoppin' it. The blow hit me hard in the gut and I dropped to a knee. But I'd prepared for it, so it wasn't as bad. She loomed over me as she laughed:

 _"Tough luck, lover."_

 _"Yeah, yeah,"_ I groaned as she pulled me back up to my feet.

 _"So, next question. Why me?"_

 _"Whachya mean?"_

 _"You sent Miam off by her lonesome to go shadow the ladies. And here I am stuck with you. Why?"_

 _"Because of him."_

I pointed to the group up ahead. Specifically, Boone. She looked and nodded:

 _"Recon. Think he knows her?"_

 _"Dunno. Don't like taking chances."_

 _"I agree. So, what now?"_

 _"Now, we wait. Sooner or later, they're gonna go doin' whatever it is the King is having them do. When that happens, we'll keep a close tie on their tail."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

The King wasn't kidding when he said this place was in bad shape. Everywhere I look, I see broken and disheartened people filling up medical tents or the ground outside of them. So many sick… and so many dying. Even worse, the cold and distant look in all of these labcoat wearing folks milling from one place to another. This place would sink me into a depression faster than you can say jazz blues.

I don't know how these folks manage it. Another mystery of the universe, I suppose. But I'm not here to solve this issue. I'm here to solve someone else's issues before this place explodes.

 _"Hey, Machismo,"_ I heard Raul rasp from behind me, _"you okay?"_

I turned around to see why. Boone had this look in his eye. A morbid one. Don't get me wrong, most of the time he looks morbid. But now?

It looks like the face of the dead.

" _Yeah,"_ he replied, _"just reminded me of someplace else."_

" _Do you need a minute?"_

He shook his head:

" _Let's get this over with."_

I nodded, patting his shoulder comfortingly. Then I whirled about:

" _Hey, you guys seen ED-E?"_

" _Que demonios!?"_ Raul suddenly spun around, looking around the courtyard, _"He was just right here!"_

" _Boone?"_

" _I didn't see him go with Rex. Maybe he slipped out before then."_

I pressed my fingers into the corners of my eyes, grumbling:

" _Damnit, buddy. You're going to be the death of me."_

" _Relax, jefe. He's una máquina indestructible de la muerte. I'm sure he'll be fine."_

I just shook my head and sighed:

" _Yeah, I hope so. So, where did Beatrix say we needed to go?"_

Boone pointed over my shoulder. We came up to the tent in question, waiting outside as a lot of folk wrapped in bandages came limping out: some supporting each other, others supported by more labcoats. As we were about to head in, Boone grabbed my shoulder:

" _What's up?"_

" _I don't think I should go in there."_

I raised an eyebrow:

" _Why?"_

" _If NCR roughed these guys up, I doubt them seeing me would be a good idea."_

" _Boone,"_ I shook my head wearily, smiling slightly as I did, _"it'll be find, man. Besides, if it is the NCR, I'll need you there to confirm the details."_

" _Machismo, just stay a bit back and let us handle la tortura. I'll go get un soplete."_

" _No, you're not,"_ I chuckled softly, _"We're not torturing anybody, Raul. Just going to ask them some questions and then we'll go."_

He shit-grinned me, shaking his head as he did:

" _Where's the fun in that?"_

" _Honestly? I doubt you'd be able to find any fun in a place like this."_

" _Touché."_

Once the last of the wretched masses made their way out, we went in. The tent was stifling hot, even with the fast-descending sun dropping the temperature rapidly. My guess was the burlap. It had a habit of trapping heat. Worse still, the air felt strangely stale with a taste vinegar.

All in all, I resisted the urge to gag. If for nothing else to prevent giving Raul ammunition to torment me behind my back.

" _Well, hello,"_ someone said to my right, _"if you're here to visit, I must ask you to leave. These gentlemen still need to rest."_

The three of us turned to see another labcoat with his back turned to us, his hands dipped into something on a long table. I looked at Boone, and he just shrugged.

" _Sorry about barging in. We're here to speak to Roy and Wayne."_

" _Are you deaf?"_

I raised an eyebrow:

" _No."_

" _Then perhaps you're fairly hard-headed. I suggest standing on it for a few hours everyday. Clear away whatever cobwebs are preventing you from hearing me the first time."_

" _Oh,"_ Raul grinned, his hands moving under his poncho, _"un hombre sabio, eh?"_

" _No. Not particularly wise,"_ he replied immediately, _"aunque apestas como un cerdito de cerdo,"_ Raul was taken aback, as was I at this guy's linguistic ease, _"In fact, all three of you do."_

" _Three?"_ Boone inquired, _"You have your back turned. How-?"_

" _Because all three of you have very distinctive smells. Oh, don't get me wrong, you each smell equally repulsive, but your repulsiveness is individually unique."_

This guy… was hard to place. He was educated, had a sort of sophistication to his monotone. And inevitably, an arrogance to boot. This guy was like Veronica if you sucked out all the cheerfulness and replaced it with sarcasm; wit and intelligence somehow staying put. I narrowed my eyes as I growled:

" _Yeah, well I'm surprised you can smell anything in a place like this."_

" _Oh, you mean the vinegar? Well, we're a little short on anti-biotics so I had to improvise. You get used to it after a while."_

" _Well thanks for the medical lesson, smartass,"_ I replied with an edge to my voice, my hand moving down to rest over my holster, _"but we do need to speak with the guys in question."_

" _Take that hand away from your firearm or I'll be forced to replied in kind."_

I grinned at him:

 _"Wanna try your luck, pal? I've had a long week and I don't mind blowing off a little steam."_

He laughed:

 _"I've had a long week, too. Would you like to discuss in detail how your week is any worse than mine?"_

 _"Not particularly."_

Again, the man chuckled.

 _"Well, you're clearly not a King."_

 _"Really?"_ Raul chortled, moving up to my left flank while Boone looped around my right, _"What gave that away? No sonamos como hipsters?"_

I looked right and saw that Boone had his hand on his sidearm as he started to close the distance with this guy.

" _No, actually. You have a sense of humor."_

Before I could reply, he moved suddenly in a flash of white fabric. His hand produced a weapon, pointed directly at Boone. A second later, all three of us had our handguns drawn on him. Raul chuckled softly:

 _"Go ahead, sabelotodo! Te llenaremos con tantos agujeros que serás un Santo!"_

 _"That is a terrible joke,"_ he replied, swinging round to face me. On que, Boone inched a little closer, his Browning edging on the man's head. He swung round again, causing Boone to back up. But as soon as he did, Raul moved in on his flank. That was when I realized something.

The man was holding some kind of energy pistol: big, bulky and having the appearance of a brick with a handle. I immediately recognized the symbol on the foreguard: a stylized G with faded out words, but I knew it stood for Glock. I was familiar with their Austrian handgun lines, but I never knew they moved into energy weapons, too. Ah, the things you learn, but that's not the point. The point was when the weapon in question had a live battery pack inserted, there was usually a red LED indicator (in this case, green) on the side of the weapon.

This one was lightless; dull and grey. I smiled, and shook my head:

 _"You must be really stupid to bring an unloaded gun to a firefight."_

He shot me a toothy grin:

 _"I always was fond of playing chicken. Had you three fooled for a minute or two."_

 _"Yeah, sure,"_ I holstered the Colt, and signaled the others to do the same. Begrudgingly, they followed suit. Raul chuckled softly:

 _"You've got cojones, Señor Jugando Pollo."_

 _"I've been told that a lot, actually."_

He set the pistol back onto the table, and turned back to face us. The first that hit me was the man's height, being taller than me by at least a good three inches with a slim build which in perspective of everybody else in the room made him a practical giant. This added further credit to his straight out Aryan appearance: strong, smooth jaw with prominent cheek bones and a heavy-set nose with a pair Helvetica style eyeglasses (the name was on the side). Plus of course the man's golden hair, setback in a mullet. All in all, the guy reminded me of that German wheelchair mad scientist (his name escapes me, though I think it was a weird name) in that one movie about riding nukes, or atleast if he was a good twenty years younger.

 _"Well, I'm sorry for all the commotion,"_ he replied with a grin, _"I've been cooped up in here for a while now, and I was starting to go a little estranged in the head. Normally I'm not on wetnurse duty, but we've recently received more patients than we have doctors, so all hands-on-deck I suppose. What can I do you for?"_

 _"As I said, we're here to speak with the guys who got the hell kicked out 'em… about three days' past?"_

 _"They would be in the next room. I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your names."_

 _"You first,"_ Boone replied with a deadpan. The labcoat shrugged his shoulders.

 _"Alright, my turn first, I suppose. I'm Arcade Gannon. Most people call me Arcade."_

Raul smirked:

 _"That's quite a name, Rubia. I think I'm going to call you Doc."_

Arcade grinned at wryly:

 _"Many people do. And you are…"_

I quickly handled the introductions. At this point, I feel that's become part of my job description:

" _This is Raul, Boone and I'm Gideon. Gideon Maddox."_

" _And they say I have an interesting name. I am assuming the King sent you to talk to the gentlemen in the other room."_

" _That he did."_

" _You three clearly aren't the usual kind he'd send. Obviously one of you is Recon—I patched a lot of you up at Hoover. And going off your two attires I'd say you're gunslingers."_

" _Si, y el ocasional reparador."_

" _Courier actually."_

" _Makes sense. You look like you've walked a lot of roads."_

" _Sorry to interrupt,"_ Boone quickly cut in, _"but we're getting off the point. What can you tell us about what happened?"_

" _Honestly? Not much. We brought them in late. They each suffered injuries consistent with a beating. All three of them suffered stage two concussions, fractured bones. But the youngest got it the worst. His liver and lungs were bruised."_

" _Bruised?"_

" _My guess is he was kicked repeatedly in that area. He's lucky they didn't aim higher or they could've broken off his xiphoid and sent that into his heart. He's been in a coma."_

I looked at Boone, and he looked at me, his eyes set again in that morbid certainty. He nodded simply before asking:

" _Where exactly were they found?"_

" _East side of town."_

" _Déjame adivinar,"_ Raul looked crossways at Boone, _"that's were Los pobres desgraciados are hanging out?"_

" _Mmm hmm."_

" _One thing at a time, Boone. Let's get their story and go from there. They are up for talking, right?"_

Arcade shrugged:

" _I guess that depends on them. I'd make it quick though."_

" _Right. Boone stay out of sight but in ear range. Raul—"_

" _I'll go get the sierra!"_

" _I have one right here!"_ Arcade laughed, producing a hacksaw from some conveniently hid drawer. I groaned aloud as I face palmed. Yes, this called for a face palm.

" _No. No. Just no. Stop encouraging him, damnit!"_

" _What?"_ he shrugged again, _"Is it wrong that I'm simply encouraging progress in someone that shows promise?"_

" _You mean the promise of being a pain in my ass?"_ I jutted a finger at him, _"You sir are about to hit that list, too."_

" _Oh, I'm flattered."_

He gave me this weird look that took me back a second. He raised an eyebrow, grinning slightly as he cocked his head. All I could say was:

" _Oh."_

" _I mean if you're interested—"_

" _Nope,"_ I spun around and went into the otherside of the tent, _"Raul, get your ass in here."_

" _Ah,"_ he chuckled, _"look at you, Rubia. All your charm and you scared him off!"_

" _Well, I wasn't really trying. He's not exactly my type."_

" _Ah, ya veo—"_

" _Now!"_

" _Si, jefe!"_

* * *

 **Boone**

* * *

Huh. That was just weird.

" _I thought sawbones were supposed to have a good bedside manner."_

He raised a finger up in the air, replying smartly:

" _I'm a researcher, not sawbones. Bedside manners are really not my specialty."_

I could understand that.

" _You and me both."_

" _So, what's your story?"_

" _Mine?"_

" _You're NCR, a sniper at that, travelling with a man who looks like he stepped out of the set of a Spaghetti Western and a mailman—"_

" _You haven't seen our full team, yet."_

" _I look forward to that. As I was saying, all of you now are doing a job for the King. Call me curious is all."_

Why is he digging? I gave him a look. Didn't budge. Clearly more than just a researcher. Researcher of what?

" _Gideon did a favor for me. Cashing in the debt. Nothing more."_

" _Just curious is all."_

He's still digging. Didn't say, but the look tells me. Something there, though. Something out of sight. Something hidden.

Shouldn't care. Got my own skeletons. Why's it matter what he has? Still. Can't shake the feeling, though.

" _Are you retired by chance?"_

" _What makes you say that?"_

" _You've just got the look."_

" _Look?"_

" _Well, you're too unkempt to be active, but you still wear your colors and still have that intensity in your eyes. But you're what? 24?"_

" _26."_

" _26\. You've got the look of someone who enlisted. Would've made Sergeant, at least. A little soon to muster out."_

" _Stop."_

" _Stop?"_

" _Stop digging. I'm not your patient."_

" _No. But I've seen it before."_

He had a tell. Noticed it. Put his hand up to his chin. Rubbed it. Like he was thinking… or remembering.

" _Seen what exactly?"_

" _Well, people sign up to get out. See the world. In your case, though… I say you did because you were good at it. I mean, even out of uniform you scream soldier right down to the bone."_

" _The discipline suited me."_

" _That's the thing, then. Something changed. Something made you leave. Do I need to guess what?"_

You…

" _You ever been to war, Doc?"_

" _I was at Hoover."_

" _During or after?"_

" _A little after. During the mopup."_

" _Then don't talk about it."_

" _I have seen some fights. Seen what it does to people."_

" _Sure you have. I'm not talking about trading hands or bullets with Raiders."_

" _I know."_

" _No. You don't."_

Enough. Back to orders. I walked over to the flap. Leaned in, took a peek. Yeah, these guys went through a grinder.

Covered in bandages. Bloody. Messy. Malformed and misshaped. Wonder if they'll even remember anything.

Older man, maybe 60, spoke first:

" _It happened around 11. We were investing some caps we got off of selling some caps we found. Left the Wrangler, took a wrong turn, ended up in squatter turf."_

" _That's when they attacked?"_

The other, 20's, spoke up:

" _Nope. They stopped us first. Started barking questions at us. Wanted to know if we were locals or not. Kid started shouting back, and that's when things got ugly."_

" _Did you get a look at them?"_

" _Well, they were big. Better dressed than what I've usually seen. Roy, think of anything else?"_

" _Well, they were young, too. Hell, looked younger than you, Wayne."_

" _Yeah. Oh, wait. Yeah, that's right. One of them called another guy by name. Something like 'Hey Lou, we gotta go.'"_

" _Lou? Eso es útil."_

" _Wait, it was Lou something. Something starting with a T! Ah, it's so hard to remember."_

I shook my head. I pulled off the beret, and set it on the table. Walked in.

" _Was it Tenant?"_ I asked Wayne, _"Like Lou Tenant?"_

" _Yeah, that's what it was! Lou Tenant!"_

The older man scoffed:

" _He probably said Lieutenant, Wayne. I swear sometimes you're as dumb as a mutie."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _So, we're dealing with NCR, huh?"_

" _Looks like it."_

" _You wouldn't happen to—"_

" _Maybe,"_ Boone mused, _"I do know of an operation over on that side of town. Major Kieran. Runs supplies."_

" _Well, I guess we have a starting point then. You know her?"_

He nodded:

" _Used to be part of 3_ _rd_ _Infantry. Ran a few ops with her unit. Transferred out after Hoover. I can talk to her."_

" _Alright. We'll need to talk to Farkas first before we head out. But—"_

" _Mister Maddox?"_ I heard Arcade call from behind me, _"Do you mind if I talk to you for a minute?"_

" _Um, yeah. Sure. Can you guys—"_

" _No problemo, jefe. C'mon, Machismo. Tell a few yarns—"_

" _Pass. I'm not into stories."_

" _Ah, no eres divertido!"_

When they were gone, I turned around.

" _And it's just Gideon. Unless this is formal business."_

" _It's not. But it is about your friend."_

" _Boone, you mean?"_

He nodded, and again that same morbid look I saw on Boone reflect on him, too.

" _What's this about?"_

" _Your friend's not in a good place."_

" _He… lost his wife not too long ago."_

He nodded, understanding:

" _That favor you did him?"_

I nodded, but I cocked my head at him, pondering:

" _What else do you know?"_

" _What do you know about Bitter Springs?"_

" _Nothing much. I'm not from around here… I don't think."_

He gave me a confused look, and I tapped my bandages. He nodded:

" _I was wondering. What happened?"_

" _Double tapped to the face."_

" _Who patched you up?"_

" _Doc Mitchell."_

" _Then you were definitely in good hands. Second best surgeon I've met."_

" _Who was the first?"_

" _Friend of his, friend of mine, too. Lives up in the mountains. So, Long Term Memory Loss, I'm guessing?"_

" _Yeah. I have a hard time remembering my past. I mean, it comes back in segments. Like seeing little snapshots."_

" _It'll come back, I promise you that. Just have to give it time."_

I nodded, but I kept my eye trained on him.

" _So, Bitter Springs? What happened there?"_

" _From what I gather, there was a massacre there. NCR and Khans got caught up in then confusion, a lot of people died. We've… treated quite a few people who came back from it. Nobody knows exactly who did what or why. But your friend was Recon, and I can tell it still haunts him."_

" _I… understand your point. We'll keep an eye on him."_

I'm not sure how to take this information. Or what to do with it. I could talk to Boone about it. But I don't want to push him away either. Then again, it might be better if it came from someone else.

Someone who could, and has connected with him on a deeper level. As crazy as that is considering they tried to kill each other two nights ago, but what can you do? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

" _So, Doc. Call me curious, but you said this isn't normally your job. So what do you do exactly?"_

" _Oh, I'm a researcher. Well, not a particularly good one."_

" _What research, if I may ask?"_

" _Oh you know. Alternative treatments for common illnesses and injuries. Stimpacks out of barrel cacti and other fantastical improbabilities,"_ I noted he said that last line with a hint of self-reflected sarcasm, and he quickly answered why, _"as far as fruitless wastes of time go, it's quite noble in its aims."_

" _I'm guessing the Followers have run out of hospitals to loot?"_

He smiled at me, putting his hand on his chin as his interest took a sudden peak:

" _You're certainly sharper than I gave you credit for."_

" _Thanks… I guess."_

" _Well, you are correct. Or will be. When we do, we'll need to new ways to produce new medical supplies. Or old ways, if this research pans out. Which I doubt. To be honest, I'm just glad to be out of everybody's hair. I'm not much of a people person."_

I grinned at that:

" _Yeah, I've noticed."_

" _Heh, well. I mean don't get me wrong. I'm enthusiastic about helping people, but in the end? Nihil novi sub sole."_

" _Heh. Nothing new under the sun."_

I hadn't even realized what I said until the words were already out of my mouth, and Arcade's interested curiosity turned into sudden suspicion. Mine just turned cold as my hand touched leather. Simply, his eyes watching my hand, he asked:

" _I see you know Latin. May I ask how?"_

" _You first."_

" _But I asked first."_

" _Yeah,"_ I smirked, drawing the Browning from its holster and holding it at my side, _"but I'm the one with the gun. So, you first."_

" _Well, not from the Legion, I can tell you that much,"_ his eyes tracked down to the Browning in my hand before coming back up to me, somehow maintaining a serene calm even though I was an inkling from putting a hole in him. I'm guessing he's done this before, huh?

" _Caesar can cite Cato to serve his purpose. Many people have spoken Latin. Some of them were quite pleasant,"_ he shook his head wearily, _"it is unfortunate that the language is now associated with the gentlemen across the river."_

" _Yeah,"_ I nodded sagely, _"it is."_

I holstered the Browning and the fear in his eyes went away. He relaxed a little, slumping his shoulders as he did.

" _So, how did you learn the Lengua?"_

" _Oh, you know. Books, music sheets, old Gladiator movies. The Followers have an extensive library, so it's easy to learn if you put your mind to it. What about you?"_

I just shook my head, sighing:

" _I don't know. Or I don't remember. But if I had to guess? The Legion… ah, that's not what I meant."_

" _No, no. I understand. To be honest, you're too nice to be Legion."_

" _Nice?"_

" _Well, thoughtful might be the better term. You clearly care about people. I noticed the look you had when you walked in here. As I said, you've clearly walked some truly bad roads. I do know the look."_

" _Yeah, I suppose you do. Hey look, about earlier—"_

" _Ah, don't worry about it,"_ he smiled and shrugged, _"I'm a bit of a tease, so I end up doing it to everybody eventually."_

" _Yeah, you just caught me off-guard is all."_

" _As I said, don't worry about it… darling."_

He gave me a sly grin, and I raised an eyebrow, shaking my head, smiling:

" _Oh, well. I'm certainly flattered."_

He then tucked his hand behind his hip, swaying the leg a bit as he grinned; his voice dropping into a feminine tone that I had to resist laughing at:

" _Oh really?"_

" _Well…"_

He gave me a slap on the bicep, chuckling:

" _Ah, get your lovely ass out of here. Your companions are waiting."_

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

" _So, Cass?"_

" _Yes, dear?"_

" _Oh, stop it, you!"_ I giggled, _"So why are we back outside Freeside? I mean, isn't the whole point to go hire this Orris guy?"_

" _Yes,"_ she replied, giving me that devil-may-care smirk, _"but it'd be mighty fine suspicious of us ta come on over from_ _inside_ _Freeside since we need escortin'_ _to_ _the inside of Freeside. Here I was thinkin' you were smart, girlie."_

" _Alright, alright. I get you're point."_

" _Good. Now shut up, and look pretty."_

" _Oh?"_ I grinned, _"You mean be like one of those damsel-in-destress, needing saving?"_

" _Yes, but don't do any screamin'. Drives me up the wall any time they do that."_

" _Oh, you mean like this?"_

Her eyes went wide like a beagle looking all mopey as she shrieked:

" _Don't you dare!"_

I'm sorry, I can't resist. I've always wanted to play one of those starlet scream queens! So, I cupped my hands together and started screaming like that one blond in that movie about a giant ape:

" _Oh dear! Help me! Help me! Save me from the incredulous and drunken woman! Oh, she just doesn't know any fun!"_

Oh, what's this, Cass? Getting all blushy and red on me, are we?

" _Oh fer sh— cryin' out loud!"_

I was having too much fun, especially now that she had gotten herself trapped in the non-swearing corner. Oh, how limited her options are now! So, I did what I do with most of my victims… I kidd… or, am I? Anyhoo, I just kept on pressing:

" _And, oh! She can't make up her mind, either! Oh my, is she becoming a housewife?"_

" _WOULD YOU STOP IT!?"_

I could only smirk as she looked like she was about to explode like Yosemite Sam anytime he could catch that whascwy wabbit! Wait, I think I got that mixed up. Was it Yosemite who was chasing… no, it was that bald guy! Oh, darn it. Now I can't even remember his name!

Well so much for my impeccable memory. Wonder what's going next…

" _Earth to Veronica,"_ I suddenly felt Cass knocking on my forehead, giving me this goofy look like I was the subject of some ill-fated prank… which I am most of the time. Trust me, it'd take too long to go into… she knocked on me again, _"Come in please!"_

" _Uh, Houston?"_ I giggled back, cupping my hand over my mouth like I was on a radio mike, _"It would appear that we have encountered something strange. It's big, red and really nosey!"_

" _Har har har! Ya done bein' in la la land?"_

" _I call it the Mind Palace actually."_

" _Whatever. C'mon, we're here."_

Once again, we were standing before another mismatch gate that looked like it'd been made out of whatever they could get their hands on. What do I mean by this? I mean an entire wall's outer coating was made from street signs! I'm serious, you could actually see a bunch of sentences made from these signs being bolted or joined together. My personal favorite was the following:

 _Stop… Watch… For (something blurred out)… Burger (blurred)… Joint Road Ahead… Obey (blurred)… (spray-painted Or)… (blurred out) will be Shot!_

Well, well. Looks like I'm going to have to pay this joint a visit. I've been shot at enough as it is! Ah, well. Moving past this, we entered in a valley of so many lighted pumpkins I felt like I was on the set of some something spooky B-Movie. Now, I'm expecting ghosts and hobgoblins to pop out and… whoa, what the hell?

" _I guess I spoke too soon!"_

On either sides of the gate were some of the green little monsters perching. Their heads craned and started following us as we walked past them. I looked at Cass, and she grinned:

" _Watch yer wallet. They're pickpockets."_

" _I see."_

The gate opened and we walked in. Ah man, they've taken the decorations up to tenth degree! So many hanging spiders on the ledges, ghosts swing from the rafters, and… aw! All these kids look so cute in their costumes! I really should've gotten me something to scare these kids back at that shop!

Ah well. Next time. Then Cass stopped in her tracks.

" _What's up?"_

" _We're here."_

She pointed ahead. There were a bunch of guys standing there like extra's from some desperado movie. But the one in the middle…

" _That our guy?"_

" _How'd you know?"_

" _Well, guy dresses up in_ _that_ _much metal armor and takes the time to make himself_ _that_ _scruffy… well, he's either trying to make an impression or he's overcompensating."_

" _Girlie, I take it back. You are a serious smarty-pants."_

I chuckled at that:

" _Well, when I put my mind to it."_

" _As we all do. You ready?"_

" _Innocent and sweet-looking coming up. Wait, what do we tell him?"_

" _Whachya mean?"_

" _Y'know. Are we a couple or sisters or…"_

" _We don't look a thing like each other!"_

" _Couple it is."_

" _No, I mean… ah, the hell with it."_

" _Woo, do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"_

Uh oh. I shouldn't have mentioned that. She gave me the look like she wanted to use my face for a surgical procedure. Oh dear.

" _Girlie, since we're only gettin' ta know each other fer a couple days now, I'll let that slide. Don't talk about my mom like that again."_

" _Sorry. So, shall we?"_

I hooked my arm out. She looked at me confused, and I grinned at her; giving her my _Well?_ Face. She grumbled something under her breath, and took my arm.

" _There you go, sweetie!"_

I then took the opportunity to squeeze her arm a bit. Not too much, you see? Just enough to be tender and earn a blush from her. She gave me a scowl, and squeezed a little more.

" _Don't milk this."_

" _Oh, I certainly am!"_

" _Whatever."_

So we started walking down the street all casual like. I even think I started whistling a little when right on que, like the gullible bait-swindler he was, Orris called out to us:

" _Ladies! Freeside's a dangerous place! You may not want to go out there… y'know, alone!"_

" _Did you hear that, Rose?"_ I decided to play the easily startled starlet clinging to her man, or in this case, woman, for protection. So I sounded a might bit squeaky, but that's okay. It'll work:

" _The big strong man says it's dangerous!"_

She grumbled slightly as she swung us around:

" _Really? Dangerous? Why's that?"_

He gestured around the street:

" _Just look around. Yeah, I know it's Eve and all, but these people are likely to stab you just as much to say hello!"_ He then gave a grin that rivalled Raul's antics, _"That is, if I'm not at your sides."_

"' _kay, how much?"_

" _Two hundred caps."_

" _Two hundred caps!?"_ I squealed, _"But that's twice as much as anybody else!"_

" _The extra hundred is for excellence, miss. These other losers would run out on you as soon as a crook showed his face. I on the other hand will take on anything short of a Deathclaw."_

"' _kay. Where will ya take us?"_

" _South Gate. If you're wanting to sight-see, that'll be an extra fifty."_

" _Well, Rose? Should we?"_

" _Hell no. We're here ta see Vegas, not this shi— craphole. No offense meant."_

He shrugged:

" _None taken. Not from here. But it is enough of a dump that I'll always get paid at the end. So you game?"_

" _Sure,"_ she then handed over a bag, _"lead the way."_

" _Right this way, then. Oh, I'll be keeping a brisk pace, so do your best to keep up."_

He then trotted ahead, and we followed.

" _Hey,"_ I whispered softly, _"that wasn't our money, was it?"_

" _Nope. King gave us the amount ta pay fer finances."_

" _Cool."_

" _Oh, and one other thing."_

" _What?"_

She then grabbed my arm tight as she scowled like one prissy-grimalkin:

" _Don't call me Rose."_

" _Sorry, Cass. I just didn't want to use your name—"_

" _He doesn't know me. Why do ya think none of the Kings have said a peep?"_

" _Again, I'm sorry. But why don't you—"_

" _Just…"_ she sighed, staring down at the road… like me… or Boone remembering someone. Someone we lost. So, who did you lose Cass?

" _Just don't call me that."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

Even though we'd left the Old Mormon Fort a good ten minutes ago, it didn't feel like we'd left at all. After trotting through a slimier-than-hell ruin that looked like it was just barely day one after the bombs dropped, we eventually got into a part of town that apparently had been once a trainyard. However, you knew you were heading the right direction by four factors. The great waves of trash and human shit that took a sudden peak when we hit the neighborhood, the bedraggled and desperate looking folks that were clothed in whatever they could get their hands on, the general stench of the air, and finally the sheer number of linen white tents that stretched about for at least a good two blocks. I mean, there had to have been hundreds of these people, cramped in corners, staring at us longingly and desperately.

Some though, were either truly gratefully with an awe of respect when they looked at Boone or had an air of bitterness about it. All in all, this place made me a bit jumpy. How the hell, Boone could remain so impassive—

" _I grew up in a place like this."_

" _How'd you—"_

" _Saw your face."_

" _Well, looks like I need to work on my poker face."_

He… chuckled. Guess I have V to thank for that.

" _You never did tell me where you were from."_

" _Boneyard. But I never stayed long. Always out, always hunting for something. There was always something."_

" _Certainly explains your choice of work."_

" _Yeah. When you're good at something…"_ he then shot me a worried glance, _"You okay, though?"_

" _Honestly? I kinda wish we had Raul with us."_

I thought back a good twenty minutes earlier. We'd entered into the main office, and found Julie Farkas waiting for us. I had to admit, she kinda caught me offguard. Then again, this place has had a habit of doing that, so I suppose it's not too much of a surprise. But still, she was one conflicting looking woman.

What I mean by that is she was far too fair to be a missionary in hell-hole like this. However, she also possessed a Mohawk. I mean the serious type. Spikes and all. The last time I'd seen people with that kind of taste, they were shooting at me.

However, the fire in her eyes… well, it's like me anytime I look in a mirror and I'm not hallucinating. She's seen a lot. And from the way she held herself, she'd been through a lot. And when she spoke, she sounded exactly as the air around felt: wearied and bone-stricken.

" _So, Beatrix tells me the King has you doing some of his errands. It is about time. Ad before you ask, yes I've been bugging him about all of this for weeks now."_

" _Bien, aquí estamos ahora!"_ Raul chuckled, spreading his arms about as he grinned broadly, _"Listo para sorprender!"_

" _Raul,"_ Beatrix shook her head despairingly, _"if you'd shown_ _that_ _much enthusiasm about our relationship—"_

" _Beatrix, mi corazon,"_ he quickly took the steps over to her, grabbing her by the hands as he pleaded like a whipped dog, _"I swear by las tumbas de mi familia… I shall make it up to you."_

" _I know,"_ she smiled somberly, her hand caressing his cheek softly before promptly slapping it, _"Damn you, you washed-up Mexican. I can't stay mad at you."_

" _I know. I am irresistible!"_

She jutted a finger at him:

" _Don't push it."_

" _Yes, dear."_

Julie could only smile. The kind of smile a mother has for a child:

" _Beatrix, where did you meet your better half?"_

" _My better half, Jue? You serious?"_

" _Oh come now, don't deny it. I've known you for three years now, and I've never seen you this happy."_

Raul of course couldn't resist shooting her his classic shit-eating grin. She could only scoff:

" _Oh please. You probably had loadsa women-folk lineup 'long the way."_

This woman… truly surprised me. Not about who she was. But what she could do. For the week I'd known Raul, all I'd seen was sarcasm and sass. But this one woman could bring out something in him.

She could bring out his pain. I'd only seen it before once, back at Black Mountain. When he showed us the hand-cannons now strapped to his hips. This pain, this emotion… this genuine somberness as he gazed up at this woman, his hand running through her silver hair… Jesus, I think I might've cried a little.

" _Never,"_ he whispered softly, _"not once,"_ he then turned to Julie, shrugging, his face plain, _"Beatrix found me…"_ he looked over at me, and grinned slightly, _"don't laugh, boss, but… shot to pieces in a ditch."_

Yeah, you could bet it took all the mental fiber I had not burst out laughing. Though that wasn't helped when Boone whispered in my ear:

" _Looks like you called it."_

Julie could only smile some more:

" _Beatrix, you truly surprise me."_

" _Ahem, I'm sorry to interrupt, and Raul, I really am. But we've got some business to attend."_

" _Yes,"_ Julie nodded slowly, _"first things first, I suppose. Rex is… not well."_

" _What's wrong with him?"_

" _Rex is old. I know he was the latest K9 model, so that makes him a good two hundred years and some change."_

" _Is he… falling apart?"_

" _No, not exactly. His body is largely cybernetic, and the parts that aren't are surprisingly well kept. All except for his brain. From what I can tell, there's a tumor growing inside it."_

I remember cursing softly. No man ever likes the idea of losing their best friend. I hadn't known Rex all that long, but… well, who wouldn't feel bad I suppose?

" _Any chance—"_

" _No. The scans show its developed too far in. Maybe Doc Henry up in the Mountains could, but that's slim, though."_

" _How long's he got?"_

" _A few months. Probably the best we could do is try and make him feel comfortable."_

I nodded. I suppose I'd tell the King when this was over.

" _Now, Beatrix can fill you on our… problem, with Dixon?"_

The Femme-Fatale snorted at this:

 _"Problem? Try fuckin' menace. That drug peddling sonovabitch been selling his junk on our streets fer a month now and… well, y'all seen the effect."_

 _"Whoa, wait a second. Are you saying all the people here are because of him?"_

 _"Not just him. But a good number."_

 _"Beatrix, qué es el retén? You've helado plenty of scum like this Dixon. What's stopped you?"_

Julie sighed as she answered:

 _"Dixon works for the Omerta's."_

 _"Sorry,"_ I shook my head, _"I'm not from around here. Who are they exactly?"_

 _"They're gangsters,"_ Beatrix replied with hot fury burning hotter than a forge, _"buncha cut-throats and vicers. Scum. Run abuncha casino's… if y'all can call them that, up on the Strip. My guess is Big Sal wants to expand his fuckin' reach out to Freeside, too."_

 _"So what changed?"_ Boone asked, and Julie shook her head sadly:

 _"Dixon's brew has unknown chemicals that can cause arsenic poisoning. We've… started bringing in children with the same symptoms."_

 _"Jesus."_

 _"I'm in,"_ Raul growled. Again, being around this woman has brought out probably some of the best I've seen out of him but this… he was beyond angry. He had the spirit of vengeance in his eyes. He took Beatrix by the shoulder, closing his fist as he roared on with a conviction as hardy as steel:

 _"Let's go. Right now, tú y yo. Like in the old days. Teach this pedazo de suciedad a lesson en el dolor."_

Beatrix could only smile so sweetly and so kindly that it radiated like the sun rising over a stormy horizon.

" _Raul… thank Christ."_

" _Para qué?"_

" _As much as you drive me nutty… you really haven't changed."_

She then turned around and pulled out a duffle bag from stashed away locker. She reached inside and produced an honest-to-God sombrero. It was faded olive, a bit smaller than the more outlandish that I recall encountering, with a long pure white tail feather sticking out the side. Raul took it with both hands: feeling it, rubbing his fingers through its rough looking exterior. He crack a sly-old smile up at her, a sharp glean in his eyes:

" _You kept it."_

" _Was a good hat."_

With a chuckle, he pressed the hat onto his crown, straightening it and smoothing it out. He about-faced, his arms spread wide as he asked:

" _Bueno? How do I look?"_

The ghost of a smile passed by Boone's lips as he answered:

" _Now you really have gone full western."_

And with that, the pair took off. I remember feeling genuine pity for Dixon. He didn't have long to live. Then I heard a familiar buzzing in the air. In Julie's office, through an open window, was ED-E.

" _There you are buddy! What are you doing here?"_

I then looked down to see Rex lying on a cot, sleeping soundly. That was when the weird part happened. He turned about and I noticed a pair of wrench-like robotic arms sticking out from either side of his grill like face, waving lightly in the air. He gestured downward, beeping softly as he orbited around the sleeping dog. Then his speakers played a recording:

" _How long's he got?"_

" _A few months. Probably the best we could do is try and make him feel comfortable."_

He then drooped over, like he was slumping his proverbial head. I walked in, placing a comforting hand on his mournful metal hide.

" _You wanna stay with him, buddy?"_

He nodded, somberly; slowly ascending to just above the dog as his hands ran through his fur.

" _It does make me wonder,"_ Boone mused at my side, breaking my trip down memory lane, _"why haven't we seen his… well, arms before?"_

I just shook my head:

" _Cass said it best. He's like me. Secrets buried, needing to be recovered. Eventually, they are."_

" _Makes sense, I suppose."_

We walked on for a good five minutes, milling past this godforsaken tent city until we hit the shadow of an overpass crumbling high overhead. Then we spotted a large broken up building with a large corral of Brahmin to the side.

" _This the place?"_

He nodded:

" _Just follow my lead, and let me do the talking."_

I saw why as we got closer. Though they were out of uniform, there were a half dozen soldiers ahead patrolling the area. How do I know they were soldiers? Bunch of reasons, but the biggest one was the fact all of them had Service Rifles drawn and slung. Pretty much everybody else who was packing sure as hell wasn't having them shown like these guys, which tells for a large disregard for subtlety or the lack of need for one.

One of them walked over to us as three of his body stayed back, their rifles drawn on us. He raised his hand up, ordering us to halt:

" _This place is off limits. State your business."_

" _We're here see to Major Kieran,"_ Boone quickly walked over, pulling out a loop of paper out from his backpocket and handing it over to the trooper, _"it's urgent that we speak with her."_

He took one look at the papers, before handing them back over.

" _Apologies, Sergeant. A couple days back, someone broke into a local supply train and stole a case full of uniforms, so we just had to be sure."_

Who the hell would want to steal BDU's and why?

" _Understood, trooper."_

" _Oh, and your friend?"_

" _He's with me,"_ he then gestured me over, and I handed the guard my courier papers. Again, he mulled over them before smiling:

" _Wouldn't mind having a First Recon watching over me."_

" _Yeah,"_ I chuckled, _"does me wonders."_

And after that, we made our way to the door. Before we went in, I held Boone up, confiding quietly:

" _That can't be a coincidence."_

" _What, the stolen uniforms?"_

" _Think about it. All this crap's going on all at the same time: those guys getting beaten up, that guy cutting in on the King's business, the problems here?"_

" _Don't forget about one of the Three Families pushing drugs. Yeah I see your point. What do you want to do?"_

" _Dunno yet,"_ I shrugged, _"but my guts telling me something's going on."_

" _Look, let's talk to Kiernan and see what she has to say on the situation."_

" _Right. I'll follow your lead then."_

We headed inside to find more out-of-uniformed soldiers milling about what probably used to be a storage facility. They were moving large crates of whatever from place to place while others opened them up and moved their contents into smaller containers. All in all, a typical supply job.

" _Sergeant Boone!"_

We turned to our left to see a woman approaching us. Early thirties, with tired and wearied eyes and brow hair tied back tightly in a bun supported by quick a few bobby pins, she had an air of military discipline surrounding here. But underneath that as she got closer was frustration. The dangerous kind.

" _Major,"_ Boone immediately saluted, but she raised her hand with a warm smile:

" _At ease, Boone. Last I heard you were retired. How you been? How's Carla?"_

You can imagine his reaction. He tensed up so bad he practically froze to the spot. The Major immediately shot him concern, and after a while he sighed, painfully:

" _She... passed away… about a year ago."_

" _Oh, I'm so sorry. I… hadn't heard. I mean, I… well, how are you holding up?"_

" _A day at a time. We're here on business."_

" _Ah, is that what the courier is here for? I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."_

" _Gideon,"_ I extended my hand and she took it firmly, _"Gideon Maddox. We were sent by the King."_

There was a sudden flash of anger in her eyes, but Boone immediately raised his hand in my defense:

" _Just hear what he's got to say, Major."_

She sighed, crossing her arms.

" _Fine. What's this about?"_

" _Three Kings, locals, got the shit kicked out of them a couple days back. On this side of town. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that?"_

" _I gotta ask—"_

" _Me and my company are trying to get on the Strip. So we're doing the man a favor."_

She raised an eyebrow, looking over at Boone before looking back at me.

" _I see you've been asked that before."_

" _Yeah,"_ I chuckled, _"could say I've got the whole schpiel rehearsed now. Now—"_

" _To answer your question, yes. Yes I know who you're talking about."_

" _Major,"_ Boone asked, _"what is going on between you and the Kings? You're not one to pick a fight."_

" _I didn't,'_ she growled, _"they did. The Kings don't want the NCR here and they've made that point very clear. They've harassed our people, imposed a water tax—"_

" _The King told me that was because your people kept pushing into his side of town and stirring up trouble."_

" _Yeah? And did he tell you that his people have been going onto_ _our_ _side and beating civilians at a whim?"_

I raised an eyebrow, and that was enough for her:

" _Mr. Maddox, you need to be careful whose side you choose."_

" _Ma'am, with all due respect, I'm not on anybody's side. At best, I'm just a messenger. All the King wants is for the violence to stop."_

" _Yeah? Maybe he should've had that thought in mind before he beat the living hell out of the envoy we sent him."_

" _Envoy?"_ I looked over at Boone. Him too, huh? Something fishy is going on.

" _What envoy?"_

" _Let me guess: The King decided to skip out on those details?"_

" _Major,"_ Boone stepped between us, his hand resting on her shoulder, _"just tell us what happened."_

" _Look,"_ she sighed, _"about two weeks ago, we sent a man to work out a deal with the Kings. But then we found our man in a dumpster, beaten almost half to death."_

" _Who exactly did he meet with?"_

" _Pacer, his second from what we've been told."_

" _Ma'am, I can assure you the King had nothing to do with that."_

" _That remains to be seen. I want you to send a message back to the Kings, Mr. Maddox. If it's a war they want, we'll be more than happy to contribute our share of bullets."_

* * *

 **King**

* * *

Ah, finally. Night. Time to shine an' show the folks a mighty fine good time. I slipped into my wardrobe, lookin' and peerin' through all the mighty fine number I could choose from. But, ah you know me.

People love the classics. An' they certainly love the classic look for the man I've inspired to be. There was a knock at the door.

" _Come."_

Sure enough, ol' Jeffie came on through. Ah, Jeff. Always could count on him. He gave me that ol' too polite smile of his as he craned his head, lookin' wide:

" _Ah, the Blue Hawaii, Mr. King?"_

" _Ah, yes. What you think? It's either this or Viva Las Vegas."_

 _"To be honest, sir? Go with Blue Hawaii."_

 _"Then that I will, Jeffie. Thank you."_

 _"My pleasure, sir. Would you like to get on with your do-over?"_

 _"That I will, but do you think it'll scare the kiddies? Last thing I wanna do after all."_

 _"Sir, you should take a good hard look at what they're wearing tonight."_

 _"Point taken."_

I took a seat, right front of the silver lining mirror. Jeffie took out his kit and started his magic.

 _"So, how are the kids doin'?"_

 _"They are good. Maria's decided to be a big plump pumpkin."_

 _"Ah, shucks. Certainly fits her. And Bobbie?"_

 _"A Deathclaw. He's gotten into the unfortunate habit of chasing her around in that costume he made."_

 _"Aw, a lill' baby Deathclaw! I haven't seen him yet an' he's already scarin' the bejeebers outta me!"_

 _"Perhaps I shouldn't bring them around. Last thing Freeside needs is for you die of freight in the midst of your performance."_

 _"You kiddin'? Course I wanna see the little ones! So, please bring them around. Hell, might even invite them to the dnace."_

 _"Maria's a bit stage fright."_

 _"Don't ya worry, Jeffie. A little dnacin' outta give her a heart of courage. Got my word on it!"_

 _"I will certainly hold you to it, Mr. King. How do you like your look thus far?"_

I took a good look an' I couldn't resist grinnin' like a jailhouse fool and goon. Jeffie really is a magician with this makeup an' such. Gave me a solid look of silver white for a skull, with my eyes, nose and everythin' 'neath my cheeks solid black. Made my bones pop even further.

 _"I look ghostly, Jeffie! Whoo!"_

 _"Then I've done my job right. I'll need to do the other side."_

He moved me over a little as he gotta workin' on my leftie.

 _"So, will you be wearing the wig tonight?"_

 _"Dunno. Think I should?"_

 _"It'll complete the look."_

 _"Then I shall. Now, to business. Any word from Cass an' her compatriots yet?"_

 _"Not yet. I wouldn't be surprised though if we won't hear from them until later tonight. Maybe tomorrow."_

 _"Well, here's to hopin'. Tonight needs to go off without a hitch. By an' by, where'd Pacer take off to?"_

 _"He said he had a few last minute details he had to take care of. Should be back in a couple of hours."_

 _"Shame. Hope he don't miss the Eve. Never the same without 'em."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

It wasn't until about six when darkness finally fell. When it did, the night became alight with candle and neon lights. It was like a second dawn of sorts. And of course, soon after, the hordes of kids started their rounds. There had to be hundreds milling about on our street alone, going from house to house, or some even going into them.

They were pretty much everything you could imagine. Soldiers, fairies, pirates, hell I even spotted a girl in giant pumpkin suit getting chased by what I could only describe as a baby Deathclaw! He looked so damn realistic I had the sudden urge to go for the Colt wrapped under my arm. But when I saw that his legs were straight, not hind, I just laughed a bit.

 _"Cool costume, kiddo!"_ I called out to him. He raised his mask, grinning from ear to ear as he waved a claw that was bigger than he was! That did bring a point though. Sure, everybody here was wearing something different. But at the same time everyone had their faces painted like a skeleton.

I really wish Raul was here, he'd probably understand what was going on.

" _Hey,"_ I heard Boone whisper at my hip, _"here he comes."_

" _Right on que, too. I thought the bastard was never coming out."_

Ahead, Pacer ran across the street. Quietly, blending into the darkness as we could, we tailed him. He bobbed down two sidestreets until finally he ended up in an alley. There were a half dozen other Kings, plus another shifty-looking guy with a tweed hat. The guy immediately stunk like a rat.

After a few minutes, the seven took off while the tweed headed down another street. Allowing for some distance, we moved in. My eyes shifted right, expecting to see some folks waiting for us. All that was though were just trash cans.

" _Keep an eye out for Mr. Tweed Hat. I'm getting the feeling we're gonna have to deal with him soon."_

" _Copy that."_

We rounded the corner, and sure enough they were across the street… under the shadow of Mr. Gloom. That big, goofy and devilish looking white linen man. Except this time around… well, the ground around him was ablaze with lights, and he was moving! Well, his torso was. And on top of that he was bellowing at the top of his lungs things like:

 _Flee! Flee for your lives, you little miscreants! I soon shall escape and claim your delicious souls!_ and _My, my, children! You truly look ravishing! Ha ha ha! I shall gobble you up!_ all in this over-the-top booming voice like he was in an echochamber. Of course, anytime he'd speak he'd be met by a large contingent of boos and hisses.

" _Tangoes moving,"_ Boone interrupted my thoughts, pointing to the end of the street. I nodded, and we quickly followed. All in all, these guys were really easy to tail. Never once did they ever stop and look behind them, or do a quick check of the surrounding area. Then again, they were Kings in their own territory so I suppose they hadn't a reason to.

Still, a damn five-year-old could shadow these guys! For the next five minutes and at least half a dozen different alleyways, we finally came up to the backside of some tall building. We quickly took cover as they stopped in front. A guard wearing all black came out, chatted with them for about a minute and then all eight of them went inside. I took one look at this crumbling building and chuckled:

" _Boone, if it turns out there's Legion in there, I propose we get kerosene and just burn the place down."_

" _Agreed. We don't have the ammo for a place like this."_

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

" _Hold up. I don't like the looks of those guys. Let's take a different route."_

I almost wanted to ask _what men,_ but Cass gave me a look and I held my tongue. We then turned down an alleyway, and right away I got this creepypasta feeling in my bones like Widow Ghosts were suddenly going to pop out to say _boo!_ I mean, this place looks like the kind you get your pretty place shanked and then left in a dumpster for passerby's to ogle at your filthy remains and wonder:

" _How'd this fairly attractive, should've been an actress, girl get shenaniganed so bad?"_

Aw, well. I digress. Still, I couldn't help but notice Cass had her hand on her holster the whole time as we trotted in this guy's suddenly ridiculous pace.

" _Keep both eyes out,"_ she whispered softly.

" _Bet your fine ass I will."_

He then held up a hand and looked around the corner. He then chuckled softly:

" _Sorry, ladies. Thought there somethin' there. Just a cat. By the way, I didn't ask before, but are you two… well, sisters?"_

I gave Cass my _what'd you know, huh?_ Face and she just scowled:

" _It's complicated."_

" _Complicated? Cassidy,"_ I gasped, deciding to sell this delusionally nutty story by playing the teasing wife, _"I'm hurt. I'm really hurt. I thought you made your feelings clear last night. And here I was thinking we had a world of fun."_

" _The fuck ya talkin' 'bout girlie!?"_ she smirked back, playing along so well I actually blushed a little, _"Sure, we had us quick-a-whirl, but that don't mean I ain't puttin' no damned ring on it!"_

" _Ah, Cassie! You embarrass me! What's a girl gotta do to get your approval?"_

" _Make me pass out an' mebbe I'll consider goin' further!"_

I looked sideways to see the big goofy jerk wearing a big goofy grin on his rough and tumbly stupid face. I felt the urge to roll my eyes, but again I must play to my role. I guess this is what being an actress feels like. I'm getting mixed feeling about that profession now.

" _Well, this is all truly fascinatin', ladies,"_ he chuckled, _"I may even ask for details… maybe more if you're interested, later. But we gotta finish our tour."_

" _Well, lead the way."_

More alleyways. Could this get any duller? I mean, seriously. Is something going to happen or—

Why is he running ahead?

" _Orris? Where are you going!?"_

He disappeared around a corner. I looked at Cass, and she looked at me.

" _Well, guess we follow."_

" _This feels like a trap,"_ I sighed, _"what's our next move?"_

Cass had a smile ready to cheer me up… somehow.

" _Spring the trap."_

* * *

 **Pacer**

* * *

I may hate their guts. No, take that back. I do hate their guts. Even now when I'm gotta be makin' deals with these lousy-faced pricks. I hate 'em so bad that I'm tempted to take the guns were 'bout to get and turn 'em on their makers. Make 'em choke on their own fuckin' medicine.

But, gotta admit, these psychos really do have a nice club. I'm even jealous. Took a crappy lobby-lot and made it so goddamned glamorous the Garret Twins take notes. The velvet walls, the lights, the air… the fine lasses so damned fine that I'ma thinkin' no way in hell an' all they could be really real. But, they are an' lookin' at 'em now, walkin' and chatting 'long with their knockers hanging free and clean.

Jesus, this no-touching rule's a right 'bout killin' me! Still, hadn't reached the main attraction yet. Passed long more hallways, more innerworkin's. Cookin' food hit my nose and my stomach gave me issues, somethin' Creole or Cajun or somethin' other.

Dunno. Rumor was the family were from somewhere southeast, mebbe Orleans.

" _Your men will have to wait outside."_

I looked up to see more muscle bound schmucks standin' 'fore a door, givin' me the stink eye. I took a look at my boys an' nodded.

" _You sure 'bout this, boss?"_

" _Don't worry. Gloria won't hurt a hair on me… I hope."_

" _Speaking of Ms. Van Graff, she has a treat for your men."_

Pointed over and… oh mama. Remember those lasses I was talkin' 'bout earlier? Take them an' take 'em 'nother level up. An' without the pretense of clothes.

" _Oh mama."_

" _Right this way. Gloria is expecting you."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _Oh mama, indeed."_

" _Yeah,"_ Boone breathed at my elbow, _"know how to keep a man busy."_

" _Got that right."_

Something weird I picked up from the… staff, was that they were speaking some language that I couldn't identify. I mean it sounded familiar, and sounded kinda-sorta like Spanish. But it was strangely more… eloquent. It was the only word that could come to mind. It just sounded classier, and a lot more deliberate in their vowels.

What the hell is this place and just who the hell is running it? I felt a tug on my coat, and I saw Boone move to my left; heading down the hall and towards another door. Right about now I wish I knew how to turn off the damn volume on the Sensorium. It would come in handy right about now. But we took the door as slow as we needed, pieing the room an angle at a time as we practically low-crawled our way in with our guns drawn.

" _Oh,"_ I chuckled as we went in, _"I know what this place is."_

It was a dressing room, with mirrors, seats, makeup everywhere and row upon row of costumes and velvet wares. Though what seemed to be in a higher quantity was women's undergarments. Fortunately for us, its occupants were outside attending their own business. We headed out through and ended up in some kind of lobby, adorned with crimson carpets, furnished leather furniture and hard wooden floors. You have no idea how much effort it takes to not make these goddamned tiles not to groan in protest.

We rounded a corner… curtains. I mean the kind you see on a stage. So, that's where we are.

" _So, it's club. Groovy."_

" _Why here, though?"_ Boone whispered at my shoulder, _"And why be so—"_

" _Sneaky?"_ I chuckled, _"Because that's the point. This place is discreet, especially once you get about a hundred people in here. Pacer's meeting someone here."_

" _You mean like a business deal?"_

" _Mmm hmm."_

He gave me the look. The look I'd started to get accustom to because it's the exact same look I give myself anytime I look in mirror. Well, when I'm not getting haunted by ghosts that is.

" _I'm getting the feeling you've done this before."_

" _With me, man? I've probably dabbled in just about everything at this point. Dunno, I'll let you know when I find out."_

We headed to the front, peeking around the curtains and getting a good look through the room… no, it's a Dance Floor. Huh. Whole place could probably fit about a hundred folks… hell, probably more than that. And in a way, it was like an extension of everything else we'd seen earlier: crimson walls, wooden floors, little mini-stages set off on either side with a dance pole (guess what those are for) with a number of table all about. I then looked up to see stages lights and… disco-balls?

Huh.

" _Heads up,"_ Boone whispered at my shoulder, pointing ahead. As Pacer and his escort walked in, a set of doors hidden by the drapes opened and another party made themselves known.

" _Pacer, dear!"_ a black woman shouted from across the room, _"You came. This pleases me."_

" _Did I have much of a choice?"_

" _No,"_ a tall black man standing next to the woman scoffed, folding his arms as he smirked at him, _"no one breaks faith with the Van Graffs and fuckin' lives to tell about it. But for you, I might make an exception."_

Van Graff. I've heard that name before… but where?

" _Now, now, Jean, my sweet,"_ Gloria soothed, resting her hand on his shoulder, _"there is no need for that. At least not yet. Now, Pacer. Sit. It is time to conclude our business."_

" _Did you get a look at what they're packing?"_ Boone whispered, and I nodded.

" _Yeah, looks like Plasma. Most of 'em are carrying sidearms, though the big guy's got a rifle. Got any idea who these guys are?"_

" _Van Graffs,"_ Boone replied, _"they're a trade family based in New Reno. Republic's clashed with them before."_

New Reno… I've been there before. The biggest little city in the world. Could remember that blazing, Jet-fueled sign a mile away… the feel. The feel set in. The kind like something dark and murky down in depths, reaching up to welcome you as one of its own.

Could feel it: like a gnawing at the bones, a sickness at the back of my head, swirling… twisting. Things started to come forward. Flashes of things: streets, people… a restaurant. There was a warmth in the air, like roman candles set ablaze; comforting… relaxing. Light jazz playing in the background, blues players; melancholy set in the back of the singers' voice.

Saxophones, guitars, some kind of bass drumming somewhere in there… I could smell something cooking. I could taste grounded Brahmin meat, but there was something else. Some kind of sauce. Something I couldn't identify but it tasted so… sweet.

" _Hey,"_ I felt my shoulder shake. Tried to respond to it but… I dunno, it hard to explain. Everything just felt so slow, so… unreal. Like I was in another world… or maybe another time. Felt the hand again, and this time I heard the voice loud and clear:

" _Gideon. Are you okay?"_

My eye shot open. Reality hit me like a wet towel.

" _Yeah,"_ I waved my hand him, trying to shake the cobwebs from fucked-up-beyond-measured brain, _"yeah, yeah. I'm good."_

Maybe Arcade was right. Maybe I should start standing on my head. I mean, what else could go wrong with it, right?

" _We've cased the joint, got the uniforms. Got everythin' we need. 'cept your shipment is all. The serials are clean, right?"_

" _We're not amateurs, love. By principle we always wipe our weapons clean. But can you say the same on your end? Are you certain the Republic will not trace it back to you?"_

" _Already got that covered,"_ Pacer replied with a cunning smile, _"after all, ya ain't the only ones usin' them plasma."_

" _I'm intrigued,"_ the woman sat forward, giving him the smile of… well, there's no other way of saying it, so I'll just say it. One stone cold bitch. She continued, touching the man's hand, _"please tell me more."_

" _We got us a plant."_

" _A plant? And how have you managed to convince someone to_ _be_ _your plant?"_

" _The dead are all too willin', Gloria. You know that."_

" _Too true. So, who will be your plant?"_

" _Coupla Fiends we found dead. Next to abuncha also dead soldier-boys. See I figured since them Republicans already got us a setup for a couple lively corpses that only need to be puttin' somewhere convenient…"_

" _I do like it, Pacer. And I do not say that lightly, Jean."_

The big guy frowned, but she shook her head:

" _So what will your plan be?"_

" _Twenty minutes. Get in, shoot 'em up as many as we can get, dump the bodies, plant some shooters, be gone. Refugees thinkin' it'll be Fiends; soldier-boys will be too busy chasin' junkie-fueled ghosts to notice anything else. And with that, that oughta send a message."_

" _What message?"_ The big guy asked. Pacer crossed his arms, smirking as he replied:

" _Same one House gave us. Only thing folks listen to is blood. And when people see it ain't safe for them freeloaders an' gamblers, not even in that 'Little Cali' they got set up there? Well, oughta think twice 'bout comin'. Place ain't so glamorous afterall."_

" _It won't be the end, though. The Republic always gets its due, lover."_

" _But it'll at least buy us some time. See, Presley's right. Somethin' nasties coming. And when it does, we need to be ready. This should give us the breathin' room we need."_

" _A valid reason."_

" _What's yours, Gloria?"_

" _Besides business?"_

" _Nothin's never just business with you. You're too… passionate."_

" _I suppose you're right,"_ she sighed, cubbing her hands together like some desperate confessioner looking to make right with the guy upstairs.

" _The truth is… I hate the Republic. I hate how at every turn, they stand in our way. Like the big, clumsy and greedy bear that it is, it seeks to carve everything under their path. Everything there's. In the old days, my family sought to parlay with them. To appease them. What more could be done? We were still fighting for control of New Reno. We didn't need another enemy. Then… predictably, our enemies conspired. I still remember the man… I was sixteen at the time. The one-eyed man."_

The one-eyed man? Wait… is she… what's going…

" _We've got a job for you, Gid."_

I opened my eyes. The restaurant, the music, the food… all of it coming back to me. The world around being painted with this orange hue… sunlight at three o'clock. Late lunch. Something more was different, though. I felt… different.

Younger… colder. I looked left, and I saw my reflection in golden silverware. I was older than I was from a night ago, at least a good couple of years. I ran my hand through my hair, combed back, the sides shaved. It felt… slick, almost cultured… wait, am I wearing a suit?

Huh. Guess I've always like brown.

" _What's the job?"_ I felt myself asking, turning to face the man across from me; hidden in shadow, the burning embers of his cigarette the only illumination on his side of the table. He pushed something towards me. A picture. Took it, felt the ink in my fingers, my one eye looking over the guy's details. All in all, like Bill Cosby in his dying days.

" _The fat bastard's family's been movin' in on Wright's business. Now, you know Orville's a reasonable man, tried to make conversation. But these guys, these creole, Cajun inbred motherfuckers? Well, they don't want no conversation. But we're thinkin' maybe, just maybe he'll talk to you. You free Thursday?"_

Remember taking a drink of something. Something hard, something sickly. Put it down, grinned at him:

" _Always free Thursday. Dead or not?"_

" _Either. We need to send a message to this fucker… and his family. Tell 'em New Reno belongs to Wright's. Not them. Not anyone else. Do you understand?"_

" _I understand the man has children. A wife. I don't mind taking out the trash, but you know my rule."_

" _And so does Orville. Him and only him. Always your discretion."_

 _"And you know I always deliver."_

Something felt different, different from the world around, stranger. I looked left, and the room became illuminated with a sudden flash of lightning. Wait a second, lightning? It doesn't rain in New Reno… I was suddenly conscience of falling.

But not just me… everything. Tables, chairs, people… It was like someone had taken the gravity and flipped it. Everything and everyone fell, and my world became one ringing monotone that faded to black. I hit something hard, something soft… then I heard a voice. A woman's voice:

" _Deliver what?"_

My eye shot open, but the rest of my body wasn't nearly as quick to the sudden change in note. I craned around… I was on a floor. There were tables… crimson walls. Oh no.

" _Tell me, one-eye. Tell me, now."_

I looked up, and there at my nose was the silver finish of a blaster. And the eyes of long-overdue vengeance behind them that seemed to want to burn me up in their gaze.

" _Boone?"_

I looked left to see him on the floor, facedown, blood running from his forehead.

" _Oh god, no. No."_

" _He breathes,"_ the woman's cool voice swept over me like a veil of night, _"only so long as I decide. Now tell me."_

" _Tell you what?"_

" _What you have done… I want you to confess before you die."_

" _Lady… I don't even know you."_

A cold smile added itself to those dragon breath eyes.

" _Is that so? We'll learn the truth soon enough. Jean, take them back."_

" _Wait—"_

Lightning flashed in my brain before curtains fell into place.

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

The fuck is this fucker goin'? He's been leadin; us down so many goddamned alley's I'm startin' ta wonder if he even knows where the hell he's going! Though… the alleys are startin' ta get tight. Where the hell is he—

" _What the— Ha, you bastards thought you could sneak up on us!?"_

Then he drew a handcannon… Jesus, that's gotta be a .45-70 gov't!

" _Well, I hope you've made peace with your maker 'cause you're gonna meet him."_

We came round and there standin' were seven dumbasses just standin' there like deer-in-the-headlights. Then he opened fire and like frickin' dominoes they dropped. But somethin' hit me. Seven down… five shots. Oh, you sly, cleaver an' stupid son of a bitch. I looked at Veronica and she grinned.

" _Nothing to worry about. If you'd hired any one of those other hacks, you'd be—"_

Veronica suddenly shouted at the top of her lungs, swingin' round and round:

" _I call bullshit! You hear that! Bullshit to every possible degree!"_

" _Um, ladies I don't know what you're talkin' about—"_

" _Listen genius,"_ she smirked with that smarty-pants look in her eyes, _"that oversized, overcompensating piece of metal you're carrying is a Magnum Research BFR."_

" _Big Fucking Revolver,"_ I chuckled and she 'course smirked back 'fore continuing on with her shpiel:

" _That means that weapon carries a five shot cylinder_ _regardless_ _of whatever ungodly caliber you've got it loaded with."_

" _And oh look. Ya got seven guys here, dumbass! Care ta explain that?"_

" _Um, well I keenly aimed for soft tissue and—"_

" _And what?"_ Veronica cut him off, _"Managed to take out not just one, but two? Sorry, but you're no Lee Harvey Oswald."_

" _Um, who?"_

" _Oh, he was some Communist jerkwad who apparently, and somehow, managed to assassinate a president by curving a bullet and hitting him in the face."_

" _What, ya mean like a magic bullet?"_

" _Pretty much, yeah. Still think the guy in question was a patsy but still—"_

" _Look ladies, I know this seems a bit strange but—"_

" _Ya know what I think? I think you're so full of shit yer practically swimming in it!"_

" _Disturbing image, Cass."_

" _Meant ta be. Point is, yer one big fuckin' fraud. You drum up this bullshit so you get repeat business."_

Then he gave me that look, like a man willin' ta kill and my hand traced down to the 10mm still restin' in my holster.

" _That what you think, huh?"_

" _Bet yer ass. In fact, why don't we go an' have a talk with the King, eh Orris?"_

" _Well now. That's just unfortunate. Boys!"_

The doors to our sides opened… the fuckers on the ground got back up… an' they all were armed. Pulled out my HK, Veronica went to my back, they started circlin'… fuck, we ain't getting outta this. One guy stood out though. One shifty lookin' fucker in a tweed hat… smirking and all. Son of a bitch.

We were played

" _Take them. Pacer wants them alive."_

* * *

 **Ralph**

* * *

" _Let's go, Mick! I've gotta get some sleep— what the fuck!?"_

" _What? What is it?"_

" _Someone… holy fuck, someone melted the lock on the door!"_

" _Well, what was taken?"_

" _I… don't know. I'll head back an' get the inventory—"_

" _Don't bother. I know what was taken."_

" _What?"_

" _Someone stole the Batman and Superman costumes I had on display."_

" _What the fuck? Who the hell would—"_

" _Dunno. Just glad they didn't actually steal anything valuable."_


	25. Chapter XXIV: Eye for an Eye

**Chapter XXIV:**

 **Eye for an Eye**

* * *

 **Benny**

* * *

" _Benny, we need to talk."_

I took my nose outta my shot glass and there lo-and-behold was a vanilla folder. You know, like in them old spy movies, dig? I took one look at it, kinda expecting _For Your Eyes Only_ across its band, and then up at Swank.

 _"What's this?"_

 _"You asked me to dig up whatever information I could on our courier. So, I went along our chain of contacts and they faxed me what they could find."_

The look in his eye… was like me when I saw our mailman walkin' and talkin' like the nines I'd put in him didn't even phase the son of a bitch. Now that made me feel extra-kinda icy and not like the ones I got in my shotglass.

 _"C'mon,"_ I grinned, _"how bad could it be?"_

 _"Open it."_

He pushed the folder my way, and I took it. I mean, seriously. How bad could this cat—

 _"Oh boy."_

First thing that came when I opened it was a grainy black and white photo, and by the feel, fresh off the prints. Six folks in all; four men and two gals, all posing like them soldier-boys always do in shot like this, dig? And right in the center kneeling was our man… our Gideon Maddox. So, he didn't always look like a one-eyed caveman, eh? Now that's somethin'.

 _"Notice the uniforms they're wearing?"_

 _"Mmm hmm."_

Couldn't see clear cause of the granulation, but I knew it right off. Loose tan fatigues with subtle camouflage like they could blend right-away into the foreground, see? And I said tan, not brown. Plus, the web-belts, sack-packs and…

 _"Boonie's and scarfs... ah, what the hell they called? They got some weird name."_

 _"Shemagh. Yes-Man told me. Apparently originated in the Persian Gulf."_

 _"The where?"_

 _"Sorry. Point is, the Army of old got to wearin' them in the Gobi Desert. Being their descendants, well… guess it's tradition in a sense."_

I gave him a look, but I nodded anyway. Still felt like a pure-plain bonehead. I'm supposed to be better than this. Cat was wearin' both when I capped him. Why didn't I see it before?

 _"So our boy was a browncoat, eh? When was this taken?"_

 _"Try where. My contacts tell me Edwards Air Base."_

 _"You're kiddin'. You mean when they took on those Tin-can Zealots back in '65?"_

 _"And won. Keep readin'."_

And so I did. Like readin' the greatest frickin' hits of some bigshot action star, dig? Like Marty Robbins, or Wayne or somethin' else. Salt Lake City, Zion, Grand Mesa, Flagstaff, The A-Bee-Que, Denver… man, this fuckin' list goes on. Guess I shouldn't be surprised… something though caught my eye.

 _December, 2270._

 _"Willow Creek."_

Swank nodded, but somethin' bugged me right off the mark.

 _"I thought they all got taken over by—"_

 _"Not all of them. Some struck it south, kept fightin' the Legion up till I guess '75."_

 _"Why '75?"_

 _"Cause that's when our boy entered the employment of one Orville Wright."_

 _"Wright? You mean_ _The_ _Orville Wright?"_

 _"The same."_

 _"Well, what the hell was doin' up there?"_

 _"Officially? Guy was somekinda broker."_

 _"Unofficially?"_

 _"Guy was a cleaner."_

He handed me another folder. This one… dunno why, but it felt colder. Now I'm getting' the hibby-jibbies and that don't happen often, lemme tell you. And in a minute, I found out why.

 _"Cat's… very thorough."_

New Reno's not known for their meticulous record-keepin'… but if I know Mafioso's, then I know I'd like to keep taps on our go-to Jean Reno. I went through files after files, photos of fools and crooks capped. Thing that was constant though? Places acting as the backdrop where frickin' fortresses, but there they were. Dead on the ground with a hole through their foreheads.

 _"Well, this is truly distrubin', Swank. Don't think I'll be sleeping tonight."_

 _"I did find something else interestin', though."_

 _"What, more interesting than we got a frickin' Terminator in our midst?"_

 _"It's interesting because one of the families this guy wacked happens to live in Freeside."_

I turned the page, and I saw what he meant. Took me a minute to put 'em together, see? But I did just when I saw a familiar face. Younger by about a decade, and her hair… wow. Never thought I'd see an afro like that. But her eyes, jeez.

 _"Always had a mean streak, huh?"_

He nodded.

 _"So, who got wacked, then?"_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I didn't know when I woke, or if I was even awake. All I could see was darkness, but not just darkness. Pure blackness. Not even the pitch of night was like this. That was the first thing that got me worried.

I tried to move, but my body felt stiff like a board. The effort of trying made me feel a tad nauseous, enough that I was tempted to puke. I fought the urge, but the feeling caused me to lean forward. That was when I felt it: I couldn't move forward. I couldn't feel my arms, or my legs, but I literally couldn't lean forward any further.

I'm in a chair. That sudden realization brought with it a creeping pain in the back of my head, and with that the sudden feeling of my brain submerged in water. Every little movement caused it shake and stir; making the dull ache in the dark, dank background growing hotter and fierce, like pin-needles stabbing into my brain. So, I stopped moving and I went over what I knew. I was in a chair, and I couldn't move: so that meant I was tied up with something, but what?

I tried to get my hands to move, but all I got was numbness. Okay, if I was numb like that, I had to have been here at least thirty minutes. Next, I was only seeing darkness, so that meant I was probably blindfolded. And fuck, why is my head is starting to hurt like a mother—

Wait. Why was I tied up? Then I remembered. Remembered the woman, the pistol in my face… Boone. That thought sent me jolting. I practically tried to jump out of my seat, and my brain felt like it collided with top of my skull going 60 miles an hour.

 _"Fuck…"_ I groaned as my brain burned so hotly I had to fight tooth and nail not to release everything in my stomach. But it didn't work. It was coming up and it was not stopping. So I craned my head, trying to avoid my legs, and let it go. Shoulder though felt wet and hot for a long minute, and by the end the right side of my face felt absolutely crusty. But on the plus side, my pain had gone back down to being an aching sonovabitch, instead of a stabbing mother—

 _"Gid?"_

I stopped. The voice had come behind me, to my left.

 _"Cass?"_ I craned my head around to that side, perking my ears to listen to anything moving, _"That you?"_

 _"Yeah,"_ she replied, sounding strained, like she was hurting, _"I'm here… you know where we are?"_

 _"I have an idea. Anybody else here?"_

 _"Guys, I think I've been kidnapped!"_

Judging by the slight hysteria in the voice, I'm guessing that Veronica.

 _"You think?"_ that'd be Boone, nobody else has a grizzled voice like that. He groaned almost as badly as me, cursing softly, _"Goddamn it. I haven't felt this bad since basic."_

 _"Boone, what the hell happened?"_

He didn't answer at first. He waited a long while, but eventually I could hear him turning in his seat. The shift in his tone told me that he was resisting the urge to yell at me. And only just barely.

 _"Why don't you tell me?"_

 _"Boone, all I remember is waking up face first on the floor."_

 _"Bullshit,"_ he growled, _"I heard you talking."_

 _"And I can't remember!"_ I growled back. But I knew he was right, and besides, we won't get out of here alive if we tear each other's throats out first. So, I sighed, and scaled back my tone, _"Boone, I got up from something nobody should've. So, I need you to work with me here. What exactly happened?"_

He was silent again. But eventually he sighed, and answered me:

 _"You were talking. Loud, too. Not to me, but someone. Then you got up, and walked into the room. Tried to stop you, but you fell over and took me with you. Got hit over the head after that."_

I sighed, feeling like I was going to sink through the floor. God, I'm so fucking stupid.

 _"I'm sorry, man. I mean… fuck, here I am giving you shit about your problems and I'm getting us in the deep end."_

 _"Yeah, yeah,"_ Cass snorted quietly, _"fuckin' poetry and all that. But could we fuckin' solve our issues_ _after_ _we get outta here?"_

 _"Point taken. Wait, how'd you two end up here?"_

 _"Turns out our swindler brought backup,"_ Veronica replied, chuckling softly, _"guys came out of the woodwork, must've been a hundred of 'em!"_

 _"Girlie, there weren't a hundred of 'em. There were barely ten."_

I swear I could feel V smirk as she replied cheekily:

 _"Still kicked half their respective asses."_

 _"If you did,"_ Boone countered, _"you wouldn't be here."_

 _"Fine, fine. So, we didn't kick their asses. Anyhoo, any ideas on how to get out of here?"_

 _"Well, for one,"_ I tired moving again. Still a bit stiff, but I don't feel sea sick doing so, so I guess that's a plus, _"anybody know what we're being tied up with?"_

 _"My guess would be somethin' metal,"_ I could hear Cass moving, grunting as she did, _"ropes are bad fer this sorta thing. Can jimmie your way out if ya know what you're doin'."_

 _"Yeah,"_ Veronica replied, _"I can feel something cold around my wrists. But I can't move though."_

 _"Try,"_ Boone answered, _"we've been sitting here long enough to be numb. Keep moving your limbs. Wake them up if you can."_

I took that advice, shifting left and right while I rotated my hands.

 _"By the way, how long you guys been awake?"_

 _"I think I woke up first,"_ Veronica replied, _"what's it matter?"_

 _"Well, did you hear anything?"_

 _"No… well, I think I heard talking, but it was muffled. Like trying to listen through a pillow."_

 _"Yeah,"_ Cass replied, _"and the air tastes kinda funny. Like metal. Plus, it's cold, too."_

 _"Basement would be my guess,"_ Boone commented, then I heard him moving again, grunting and straining as he did, _"can you move your chairs?"_

I tried, but it didn't seem to be moving. However, I was starting to get feeling back in my legs, so I started moved my feet around. I hit something, came over the top. I came over it again, slowly. From the sound of it, and the tug on my boot heel, it felt like something sharp.

 _"Shit. I think we're bolted down."_

 _"Well that fuckin' complicates things."_

 _"Ah, c'mon chipper up, guys,"_ Veronica laughed, _"can't be any worse, could it?"_

 _"It is,"_ Boone grunted, _"guys who got us are the Van Graffs."_

 _"Ah, shit,"_ Cass cursed.

 _"Is that bad?"_

 _"Oh, it's bad, girlie. Tangoed a couple times with 'em. Fuckin' mean as hell, and I've heard some weird ass stories 'bout 'em, too."_

 _"What kind of stories?"_

 _"Like Pagan sacrifice kinda weird."_

 _"Well, certainly fits the mood,"_ she chuckled, _"and I'm certainly dressed for the occasion. So, wait, if that guy said Pacer—"_

 _"Don't,"_ I growled, _"don't say another word."_

 _"What? Why?"_

 _"No, Gid's right. Been in this situation 'fore. Fuckers probably waitin' outside for one of us to peep and say something they need. Why else do you think we ain't in a ditch somewhere?"_

 _"Shh,"_ Boone interrupted, _"someone's coming."_

I heard it too. Footsteps. A few seconds later and something sounding like a door opening rang through the cold air. Then a voice. The woman:

 _"Very clever, Ms. Cassidy. Then again, I'm not surprised considering how long you've been in this game."_

 _"Ah shit. Gloria Van Graff."_

 _"The same."_

Fingers suddenly wrapped around my head. The blindfold came off and with it a bright, burning light. I groaned, squinting my eye until it could be adjusted. Then there she was. Staring at me with eyes like a rattlesnake; almost hypnotizing me to the spot. Her face… it was almost impossible to read, like a plastic mask.

She looked me over; craning her head, studying me. Then she smiled softly:

 _"Even after all these years… you still have that look."_

 _"Um, what?"_

But she brushed past me, running her fingers over my shoulder, speaking aloud to everybody in the room:

 _"You have meddled into an affair you have no part in, and you have acquired information we desperately require. And time is unfortunately of the essence. So, it is not a matter of_ _if_ _you'll talk, or even_ _when_ _, but how much you stand to_ _lose_ _if you do not."_

 _"You kiddin'?"_ Cass growled, glaring up at her, _"We know your fuckin' game. We talk, and we die. Simply as that."_

She smiled. A smile so innocent it contradicted the sudden flash of sadistic malice in her eyes before they were submerged under a cool visage. She then cupped her hand over her cheek, running her finger over and through the loose tendrils of scarlet hair.

 _"Yes. Yes, you will die, Ms. Cassidy. Especially you,"_ she looked over at me, smiling, turning to look over the rest of us, _"but as I said, you have so much more to lose than just your lives."_

Then she reached behind Cass's head and yanked off her band. Her hair flowed over her shoulder, and Gloria's eyes shot with glee.

 _"Beautiful… so beautiful,"_ she traced her finger over her cheek, and Cass bucked away, glaring coldly. She just chuckled softly, _"Jean would certainly like to take his time with you."_

 _"He can fuckin' try,"_ she smirked.

 _"Yes,"_ she laughed, _"and that is exactly why he won't. Not today at least."_

 _"What's that supposed to mean?"_ Veronica shouted. She stared at her puzzled, like she was seeing her for the first time. But she smiled, and walked across to her. I tried again at my bonds, moving just slightly, but then the gleam of a silver-edged pistol found itself pointed down at somewhere I rather it wasn't.

I relaxed, and it withdrew.

" _It means, quite simply, that we are… shall we say, experienced at this sort of thing? See, we know how men react to pain. Even how differently women do as well. But we also know how a group of people can have a resolve no single one could. See, torture one, and the rest will simply… harden. That is why we've learned to specialize our… questioning,"_ she came in front of Veronica, studying her like she did me a minute ago, but… differently. I don't know why… no, I do. I've seen that look before. In the eyes of a predator studying her prey. And that made feel cold. And then she confirmed my suspicions when ran her hands slowly, over V's cheek, down her neck.

It wasn't like Cass. This was intimate. No, a mockery of intimacy. V gasped as her hands reached lower, and lower. Her breath suddenly became staggered, she shook a little and although I couldn't see why from my angle… I had a pretty fucking good idea. Gloria giggled a little, smiling down at her.

" _You like that… don't you?"_

Veronica tried to move away, squirming further into her seat as she gasped:

" _Stop… please…"_

" _Hmm,"_ she sighed longingly, closing her eyes and smiling inward with a gruesome satisfaction that made my blood boil, _"yes… you do. You are so sensitive… and you smell so… fragrant."_

" _Get away from her,"_ Boone suddenly growled, his eyes shot with such venom that he would've been on her in a heartbeat were it not for the chair. She craned her head, smiling with a _huh_ expression. Then she looked down at Veronica, and that look grew even more to a point of sudden realization.

" _Interesting."_

She extracted her hand, V gasping as she did. Her fingers glinted against the light. Then she put them in her mouth, licking each one clean with a sickening pleasure.

" _Hmm… I think I might keep you, little one,"_ then she looked over at Boone, and she grinned slightly, _"both of you, I think."_

" _Stop."_

She looked at me, and over my shoulder I looked at her.

" _It's me you want, right?"_

She smiled softly, coming over and kneeling before me. Her eyes blazed with an intensity, like I was looking through a peephole into Hell. Could tell that she wanted to do unspeakable things to me… and I don't care.

 _"These people are only here because of me. Let them go."_

 _"Hmm,"_ she smiled. A sudden shiver of ice water dropped into my system as she ran her hands up my knee, creeping like a sneaky little spider, _"what do you offer me in return, Mr. Maddox?"_

 _"Me. You can do what you want with me. But let them go."_

She rolled her eyes at me, rising to her feet and snorted at me:

 _"Predictable. Boring. You really haven't changed. You have nothing to offer me that I don't already have, but you do have things we need."_

She then gestured to the goons waiting at the door, and they came walking in. Within seconds, they had the chairs unbolted… except for mine. They then took them. Cass went kicking and screaming, Boone tried to resist but they pulled a gun on V. In another ten seconds, the door shut and I was left alone with the woman.

She advanced on me, and before I could move she plucked a hair from my head.

 _"Ow! What the hell!?"_

 _"I'm surprised at you, Gideon,"_ she turned her back on me, moving to the end of the room and stopping in front of something, _"for all your years spent in New Reno, I would've thought you'd long since learned our rituals."_

 _"Lady, in case you haven't figured it out yet, I don't know you or what the fuck you're talking about."_

 _"I know."_

That stopped me cold. She turned, facing me again.

 _"The last I saw you, you didn't have bandages. But…"_ she walked towards me, and dropped a photo in my lap, _"I believe you know who he is."_

The photo… I'd seen it before. New Reno… Bill Cosby in his dying days.

 _"Yes… you do know him, don't you?"_

 _"Tulius Van Graff."_

 _"Yes, my uncle. My sweet, duped uncle. How the man would do anything for his sweet little niece,"_ she leaned over me, her hands resting on the arms of my chair, _"_ _anything_ _. I was sixteen when you came to the Van Graff estate. When you so cleverly disposed of our guard… so professional. Then you came to our room."_

I was remembering. The white walls, and crimson floors. The door opening… a bedroom.

 _"You were there."_

 _"Yes… I watched from under the bed, you and your grisly work. How you put the razor to his throat… it took days to wash away the blood."_

She then rose from the chair, moving back to her previous position at the end of the room:

 _"When Mama drove you from New Reno, I'd thought I'd lost you forever. I wanted the opportunity to take what is mine from you."_

 _"How you going to do that? Talk me to death?"_

 _"No,"_ she smiled, _"I have something better in mind."_

She then pulled away a cloth cover, and what was there made my stomach drop. A cryptic altar, complete with dark icon and pictographs, rows upon rows of candles… and a bowl right in the middle.

 _"I've been preparing for this day for a long time, Mr. Maddox. Of course, I had to make some modifications, but I feel it fits you perfectly."_

I had a bad feeling I knew what she was talking about. She then pulled the bowl, and began tossing in ingredients. Things of dark rituals and witchcraft. She began chanting loudly in Creole French, bobbing and dancing as one by one the candles combusted. There was a sudden stirring in the air, like a draft had found its way in.

Then she drew a knife, and cut her hand; squeezing the blood into the bowl. Finally, she dropped my hair into the mix and there was a sudden puff of scarlet smoke. The smell of incense felt heavy. It made me almost want to gag. Then I saw it as she plucked it from the bowl along with a pin.

It was a rag doll, but of me. I smirked as I laughed in her face:

 _"Lady, you do realize Voodoo's bullshit, right?"_

 _"Is that right?"_

She then drew the needle, closing with the bandaged side of the dolls face. My stomach suddenly tightened, and I started working at my bonds as she came closer and closer.

 _"Now wait a second! Just wait a second!"_

 _"Time to pay the bill, Mr. Maddox."_

She then jabbed the needle into the eye. But I wasn't here. I wasn't sitting here in this chair, in some dark and dank torture room. Instead, though the roar of chaos and blood-chanting crowds amid an air of ecstatic fervor, I felt something coming way through the sand. Steps so heavy that they seem to drag the world with them upon every crash upon the ground.

I felt the shadow upon and over me; drowning me in its ever-consuming mass. My body felt weak, blood flowing down me upon the ground enough that it pooled into its own separate entity. I wanted to run. I wanted to escape this coming monster, but I was rooted there: like ironclad chains holding me. Helpless.

Then a hand bigger than my face took me by the head, lifting me far above the ground. The omnipresent mass before was indiscernible, blocking the sun in its sheer size and draping itself in shadow. But the voice, with a bass so thick it was the echo of a war drum, cut through the air and paralyzed me to the rhythm of the shifting sands.

" _It shall end in blood, Gideon."_

Then in the seconds ticking down in slow-motion, I saw it. I saw the thumb shadowing my left eye. And then I felt it crush it like a grape. And in that moment… the searing, unending flames that ripped and tore at my flesh became my reality. Hot blood and matter drank through my skin, running down the sides of my face until I began to drown in it.

And before long, I slipped under the surface; the weight pulling me further and further down into that cavernous place until the light disappeared and all that was left was a world on fire. And in it… all I could do was scream.

* * *

 **Cass**

* * *

" _Get the fuck offa me, you mother—"_

 _"Shut your fuckin' mouth, bitch,"_ the big black bastard hissed in my ear, yankin' me 'long and off the fucking floor like I was some...

 _"Oh God."_

They'd dragged me to 'nother room. It was small, mebbe only a couple feet across. Fuck, it was more like a fuckin' cold dark box than a room! No, this can't be happening!

 _"That's right,"_ the fucker smirked at me, _"word is you don't like tight spaces. Had this made just for you."_

 _"No!"_ I started kickin' and bitin' and fuckin' clawing at anything as they dragged me closer to that death trap, _"No! For fuck's sake, no!"_

 _"In you go, you ginger bitch!"_

No! Oh fuck, no! This can't be happenin'! Don't fucking close that door! Please, don't!

I opened my eyes, but I couldn't see. I couldn't fuckin' see shit! There was no light, it was fucking darker than night. Even night has stars, has moon, has light. This was fuckin' pitch black!

Where the fuck is the light!? Oh, God, no please! I scrambled for the door, clawin' my way. It was closed, and I end up smashing my head against it. I clawed at the walls.

I threw my weight at it, but nothing seemed ta budge! I was fucking runnin' at all the walls, tryin' find an exit. There had to be somethin', anything! Everything started getting' hot! Oh God, why is it so hot in here!?

I threw myself at the walls. I didn't know where the fuckin' door was!

 _"Let me out!"_ I screamed. I tried to move but the walls were closing in. I couldn't move without hitting something! Oh God, the walls are moving! No, get away from me!

 _"Let me out! Let me the fuck out!"_

Where the fuck is that door!? I need that door!

 _"Let me out! LET ME—"_

My chest was hurtin': my lungs were on fire! I couldn't breathe! Why couldn't I breathe!? I bent over… something was grabbin' at my chest! Something was stepping on it!

Crushing… I can't… I… can't. I need to get out! Where the fuck is that stupid exit!?

 _"Wait!"_ I suddenly heard someone shoutin'… Oh God, Gideon! _"Just wait a second—"_

Then the screamin' starting. Oh god, the screams! It was like he was gettin' ripped open! The screams were coming from everywhere; everywhere I turned, those fuckin' screams were right in my ears! Oh God, why am I so cold… No, shut up! Please shut up!

I could hear 'em all now. Everybody screaming! I opened my eyes… and I wasn't here. I was somewhere burnin'! Everywhere I looked, everything was burning!

Everything was smolder and char and ash everywhere. Bodies… no, not them!

 _Where were you!?_

 _You left—_

 _You fuckin' cowardly bitch! You—_

 _You fuckin' left us to die!_

"No!" I clutched my hands over my ears. Oh God, please no! "I'm sorry… No, leave me alone!"

 _Rose?_

I opened my eyes… the voice… no! Why her!? Why!?

 _Rose, where were you?_

I didn't wanna open my eyes. I didn't wanna fuckin' see. But something made me do it. Something told me to do it. So I did… an' there she was, like she was all those years ago.

 _"Vanessa?"_ I sobbed, feelin' my voice turn in ta a fuckin' child, _"I'm… I'm—"_

 _Sorry? Is that what you were going to say?_

She stood over me, scarlet hair blowin' in the wind, jade eyes starin'… glaring. I went over her. Her slender body, boots and jeans and that swede jacket I gave her… then I saw it. The pendent. I reached down, and felt mine.

 _We were so alike, Rose. I tried to be you, remember?_

 _"Vanessa… Please, I tired… I couldn't get to you."_

 _You abandoned me!_ She shouted at me, _Me! Your own fucking sister!_

 _"Vanessa—"_

 _You destroy everything you touch, Rose! You hear me!? Everyone! Just like Gideon in there!_

I could hear him again… screaming. Like dogs were ripping into him. Pain… just pure fuckin' pain.

You got us all killed, Rose! All of us!

 _"LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!"_

I threw my fist at her—

 _"Gah! Fuck!"_

I clutched at my hand, throbin' like a sonovabitch. I couldn't hold it back. I felt like a fuckin' lake. I felt like I was sinking. The screaming just kept coming. I buried my face in my knees, tryna drown it all out.

But it just wouldn't go away… it never would.

 _"Please… just leave me alone…"_

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

" _You hear that, don't you? You can hear them screaming?"_

I could and I did. I… never felt this helpless since Helios… why does the universe hate me so much? Why do all the people I care for have to get taken away from me? Who's the sick, sadistic piece of trash prankster behind the curtain doing this all to me? Because if there is one, and when I find him, I'm gonna do some many things that I haven't even thought out yet!

 _"Leave her alone."_

The large black man then turned from me. They were strapping something to Boone. They ripped open his shirt, revealing his chiseled chest… and they were strapping something… Oh God.

 _"Was I talkin' to you?"_

He slugged him, the crack so echoed and resonating that I cringed in my seat. He walked away from him, a big welt on his cheek… but he was grinning. He spat out a slew of blood and chuckled:

 _"That all you got?"_

 _"Oh, if this was any other day, I'd show you. See,"_ he turned around, looking at me like that woman did when she… well, I don't wanna think about it, thank you. But too late. I already felt it and this big giant ape was making me feel queasy. He leaned in closer, and closer, looking like he was going to do to me what I thinking in the back of my head was going to happen. And looking up at him, he was beyond tempted. He was practically undressing me with those big, scary eyes of his, _"it's not you, tough guy, that I'm going to break. And you,"_ he ran a hand through my hair, grabbing me by the neck, making me feel as cold like I was skinny-dipping in some fashionable swimming pool and somebody threw ice in after me, _"I don't even have to touch you."_

He raised a hand—

 _"No!"_ I screamed, but it didn't matter. They flipped a switch and Boone was hit with voltage. He spasmed and convulsed, spittle foaming at his mouth as he jolted up towards the ceiling. The lights around us flickered on and off like in some freaky horror movie. But… the smell…

His hair was singeing. The air filled got mixed up in a disgusting stench pie of that and of ozone I thought I left behind at the Bunker. But everything he felt… every ounce of pain… made me feel hopeless. Made my guts feel like they'd been ripped open and the big gooey insides were being squeezed and pulled like some mad circus crew.

And amid all this… all I could do was bend my head and weep. But I guess I couldn't have that either. Fingers lifted my chin and I found myself staring into eyes so popped with glee… I knew in my heart they were crazy with pleasure.

 _"See, I ain't doing this. You are. Your friends? All the pain they're getting? All cause of you. But you can fix that. Tell us what we need to know, and all this will go away."_

 _"Don't,"_ Boone growled.

 _"Again."_

God… I've never prayed to you before. I never felt the need, but I know you're real now. I know you're listening. So please, I beg you… help us.

* * *

 **Raul**

* * *

" _So, Beatrix, mi amor de mi vida—"_

" _Oh, layin' it on thick, are we?"_

" _Thick? I've only begun para aplicar mi procedimiento de tres pasos to winning you back."_

" _Oh, I see. So bein' a kissass is step number one?"_

" _Kissass? Beatrix, you hurt me."_

" _Good."_

" _No está bien. You disrupt my groove, lo ves? You take away from the quality of my apology and you suffer dearly for it."_

" _I see your point. So, what's step number two?"_

" _Well, paso número dos involves me taking you out to un verdaderamente maravilloso where such wondrous things are cooked que hacen que tu boca agua—"_

" _Dear, my mouth is already watering."_

" _Ah! Muy bien! Well, as I was saying, such wondrous things that it will llevarnos la mayor parte de dos horas to truly finish."_

" _Jeez Louis, Raul! What in the hell takes two hours to eat?"_

" _Ah, that is a surprise!"_

" _I see. So what's step number three?"_

" _Well, tres is perhaps the most embarrassing, pero… the most important."_

" _Oh, I see where this is going."_

" _You have your ways, Beatrix. And at the end, seré tu rata de laboratorio más dispuesta—"_

" _No."_

" _No?"_

" _That ain't what I want."_

" _Qué?"_

" _See, all this time I've been Dom for all, an' lemme tell you somethin'. I'm tired of it. Tired of bein' the dominant force to submissive pansies."_

" _So… what do you want me to do?"_

" _Raul, dear,"_ she took me by the neck, smiling, whispering softly En mi oído, _"I want you to do to me what you did best in the past. I want to make such passionate love to me that I pass out, lemme tell you."_

" _Bueno!"_ I cracked la sonrisa tonta, _"Heh… I am little rusty."_

" _What's a few hours to work out the kinks, eh?"_

" _Bien… I'll at least get you halfway… and then you'll beg me for more!"_

" _Pfft, don't you get cocky on me now, you dirty ol' Mexican."_

" _Oh? Is that a challenge, mi preciosa Texana?"_

" _Oh, you are such a kissass!"_

" _Y orgulloso. So, this the place?"_

We stopped in front of maldito building. Y when I say maldito, I mean esta pobre excusa de piedra should be condemned! It is crumbling! It is peeling! It is a wonder it can stand upright without swaying, like en esas viejas películas de Monty Python!

But it is a crackhouse. What should you expect?

" _Our varmint should be in the basement."_

" _Does he own the building?"_

" _No, just the basement."_

" _Bien. I already had to maniacos de la lucha on a three-story building just yesterday!"_

" _Wait, what!? Where'd this happen?"_

" _Boulder City. Had to practically explotar half the damn building."_

I then felt la madre of punches in mi hombro!

" _Beatrix, would you stop using me como una bolsa de boxeo for no apparent reason!"_

She pulled me around, counting down her dedos as she went over her many, many grievances:

" _First you get into a fight with abuncha crazy folk with monsters for pets! Then crazy-ass Mutants who think you somekinda toaster fixin' fiend—"_

" _But I am!"_

" _Shut your mouth. I ain't finished! Where was I?"_

" _Uh, Toasters?"_

" _Oh, yeah, that's right. Then you get into a fight with abuncha Romans! Raul, stop tryna put me to shame, you hear?"_

I couldn't resist giving the wiliest, the sliest of mostacho-driven grins! I then threw in some good old melodramático as I gasped! Yes, gasped!

" _I thought you loved me for it!"_

Aha, it earned a blush! I claim un victoria when I see one. I even rubbed it in, giving her a good whole waggle!

" _Just… next time you get into a fight, you come get me."_

" _Si. So, how are things down there?"_

" _Honestly Raul,"_ she looked down and down to the lair of los bastardos de vientre Amarillo, _"we really should have shotguns for this kinda hog-killing."_

 _"Bien, how many are down there?"_

 _"Dunno, mebbe five or four?"_

 _"Que? Cinco o cuatro? Pick one."_

 _"Well, that's not including ol' Dixon either... I don't think."_

 _"So you're saying there could be cinco o seis desperadoes down there?"_

 _"Yup."_

 _"Si, you're right. We should have shotguns."_

So we came up to the front door… bien, digo puerta pero in truth it was like if some slasher película monstruo took an axe to it and nobody bothered to get a new one. The rest of this place… Jesucristo y la Santa María, I thought the streets of San Antonio were malo! The walls had the appearance of the rest of this place. Broken and peeling, partidarios de madera shown through, graffiti… and not even bien pintada!

Mirada, I can stand this trashy excuse for art if it's at least buen arte inútil. At least then, it is art with no taste. Pero esto…

" _Beatrix, I propose we go back outside, obtener por lo menos veinte latas de kerosene, light this place up and I take you out para cenar."_

She gave me the look of clásica molestia femenina.

" _Raul, this ain't frickin' Twosun—"_

" _Tucson."_

" _Whatever. People live here."_

" _Si, well they can go y encontrar un lugar mejor para vivir. Infierno, even a cardboard box is better than this altísima sala de monstruosidad!"_

She laughed like un comediante en el Día de San Valentín, and it made me happy for it.

" _Raul, I forgot you gotta nasty obsession with lightin' things on fire."_

" _Pero fuego solves so many issues!"_

She gave me los vistazo. If you've ever been with a woman, tú sabes de qué estoy hablando. I sighed, y admitió la derrota. There is a saying in El Paso that I learned in… ah, '67. My '67, tu estrandos?

Never argue with a woman, you'll pay for it later. Well, you can add a Mujeres Texana to that list, tambien.

" _C'mon,"_ she grinned, _"let's get into character."_

Time to let el fantasma out.

* * *

 **Wade**

* * *

" _Wade, I'm tellin' you. We can't do this… not alone, not this time."_

I couldn't believe what I was hearing! Who's this and what has she done with the real Illie? I whirled on her, baffled and downright stupefied to a point:

" _Since when did you start following orders, Illie?"_

She scowled at me, but I honestly couldn't tell if she was doin' it 'cause she meant it, or 'cause she couldn't do much else. But at a length, she went and did what she always does when she's gonna say touché, but isn't going to either. She sighed, closing her eyes and pressed her fingers into them.

" _Wade… naa-ciya… I need you to listen to me. Cortez told us not to go kickin' any hornet's nests and this,"_ she pointed up at the building of interest playing backdrop to this particular drama, _"this is the shi-ma of hornet nests!"_

" _Illie,"_ I took her by the shoulders, _"there is no time. If we wait for Cortez's approval, which there is very good chance we won't get, they'll be corpses by then."_

" _And so will we,"_ she brushed my hands off, _"the three of us against the crazies in there? We'll be crow's meat before you can say netdahe!"_

" _We've gone against worse. And we're going to have the element of surprise. After all, wasn't it—"_

" _If you mention Geronimo,"_ she jutted a finger into my chest, scowling but puttin' on that extra effort of lip-curling and teeth-gnashing like we were doing somekinda Western reenactment (which we have, and she kicks my ass every time), _"and I'll hit you on general frickin' principle, you useless brat."_

" _Let him speak."_

Miam about-turned, givin' us both the cold eye with the aviators. Yeah, I know all that about douche-bags wearin' shades at night, but mention it about Miam and they'll taste the heel of my boot. Of which, Illie tried givin' her the ol' glaring-till-you-drop, but Miam invented that game a long time ago. So, after about fifteen seconds… yeah, I kept count… she backed off.

" _Wade? You were saying?"_

" _In this world, the unseen has power."_

" _Yeah,"_ Illie growled, _"fat luck it'll do us in a place like that!"_

" _Illie, we need to do this. We were given a job, we need to go through with it."_

" _And I'd rather not end up as a puddle, heyoka."_

I smirked, and that drew the killer eyes, the crazy eyes, like she was gonna leap over and make me a sacrifice! Hey, I'll be a handsome sacrifice! So sacrificial that I'll rival Jesus! Okay, I'll stop being blasphemous, but hey, can't help it:

" _Comedian, eh? Well, I'll take that as a compliment."_

" _Never said you were funny, brat. More like funny in the head. Mebbe oughta smack you 'round again, knock some sense into you!"_

Sorry, but I can't resist. She's so cute when she's angry. I just grinned and gave her my best _come-at-me_ look:

" _Hey, you're welcome to try."_

" _Why you little—"_

" _Jesucristo y todos los apóstoles!"_ suddenly there Miam, popping in like smoke; yanking the both of us close by our shirts as she hissed like those immortalized action stars, _"You two argue like niños pequeños! No, worse than that! Una pareja!"_

She gave her a look of pure horror. Like she was about to drop dead. Hmm, mebbe I should go get a shovel.

" _Couple!? Me with him!? Nakai-ye—"_

" _Hush,_ _niña,"_ she shushed her the very classic Miam way, finger on Illie's lips, _"for once, niños, be silent and listen to your elders. And that means you, Wade."_

She released us, and marched up ahead to stare at the thing causin' so much ruckus. She struck a pose, hand on hip as she brushed her hair aside.

" _Miam…"_ I took the steps until I was at her shoulder, trying to figure out what was going through her head, but hers is a mind I've yet to crack, _"What are you thinking?"_

She sighed:

" _I'm thinking Primero de Enero, back in '78."_

" _Hoover?"_

" _After, actually. The battle concluded around the 21_ _st_ _, but of course we Recon still had to clean up the pieces from that cabrón Wait-and-See Oliver,"_ she gritted her teeth, snarling, _"we had an opportunity, Wade. An opportunity to end those bastones carmesí once and for all. Reach across the river and…"_ she clenched her fist, hissin' and mauling like she was getting ready to choke the life out of the invisible proverbial bastard. But I know her. Quick to anger, but as quick to fade. She sighed, removing her shades and rubbing at her eyes, _"pero… it was Hanlon's idea. El cabrón being el cabrón, Oliver had us sit on our collective culos when the Legion took Cottonwood. Three days later, on the 22_ _nd_ _, a day after Hoover, they took the town of Nelson and we still did nada jodido."_

" _So, what happened?"_

" _Reports started coming. The Legion were using the town to raid the 95. This was before Forlorn Hope was built, tú entiendes? So, Hanlon decided to be Hanlon,"_ she smiled at this, _"and sent us in. And we went to work."_

" _You went after them?"_

" _Sí, y luego algunos. Our Christmas was spent sending them home in body-bags. Oh, era tan hermoso, Wade,"_ she chuckled and smiled, the twinkle of nostalgia beaming so brightly in her eyes like she was a shooting star. I'd never seen her so happy it was almost frightening… maybe I should go dig my own grave now, _"We'd been on the defensive for so long that_ _us_ _picking a fight with them, on_ _our_ _terms? Best regalo de Navidad a humble Captain from Baja could ask for."_

" _You mentioned New Years,"_ Illie crept up to Miam's flank, her face dark with that old familiar pain, _"what changed?"_

Then there was something else. Something… murky, like staring into an abyss. And I about fell in as she asked:

" _What did the Legion do?"_

Miam turned to stare at her.

" _I think you already know."_

She nodded somberly.

" _Ignominia Talio."_

" _Sorry,"_ I shook my head wearily, _"for those of us who skipped out Dead Languages 101?"_

Illie gave me what I came to know as _gode._ And her eyes… the abyss became bottomless. They narrowed, they swelled with a rage only she could've known. The kind of rage built up over years. Swelling under the calm, murky waters, and waitin' to yank me in. So, don't mind me takin' a step back.

She sighed, and just shook her head in a way that just made me feel so damn stupid.

" _It means Retaliation. I've only seen it used once… on my people."_

I cursed softly, and she only shook her head.

" _When they can't beat you, can't kill you… they break you. They'll take captives… men, women… children,"_ she closed her eyes, and for the first time since I've known her… she wept. But she didn't not break. Did not falter. She just kept going, kept speaking. Then I understood.

It was a release.

" _The young, the old. Put 'em out front, where you can see 'em. Then they'll start doing…"_ she stopped again, but Miam gave her a firm grip on the shoulder. She nodded and continued, _"They start with whips. Whips with glass and hooks. Rip the flesh off the backs of 'em. Then they'll brand them… over and over again. And if they survive… they'll crucify them. Not with nails, you see. That'll be too quick. You die from blood loss. So instead, they'll tie your hands off, pull them over your head, make 'em loose enough that you hang just enough. It… pulls at your body. Makes it hard to breathe. Forces you to try and keep upright. The strong can keep up for a while, days even. But others… others who can't? They eventually… choke."_

I nodded solemnly. I was driven beyond belief to walk the steps, take her in my arms. But I didn't. It's not her way. And it was not mine, either.

" _Did you… mercy them?"_

Miam nodded slowly, she then turned to look back at the Lion's Den.

 _"There were so many dead and dying that day that la infantería accompanying us gave the Legion Commander a nickname. They called him... Dead Sea."_

She turned back to us, the pain so heavy in her eyes it was like looking at a great big wall of it. She shook her head softly, and in the darkness, I could see her tears.

" _Those people died because we did nothing until it was too late,"_ she wiped away at her eyes, sighing as she eyed Illie and then me, _"We have orders, yes. But we also have lives in our hands as well. And because of it… we have a choice to make."_

" _I've made mine,"_ I replied, eyeing 'em up squarely, _"and I'll do it alone if I have to."_

" _No,"_ Miam smiled at me, _"you won't."_

I looked at Illie, and she just shook and chuckled:

" _Well, it I don't, everybody's gonna think I'm a gusano. Besides, somebody's gotta watch your ass, you big, dumb, sentimental brat."_

I could only smile at her.

" _I'll take that as a compliment. Now, it's time to serve some badguys a platter of pure asskicking, donchya think?"_

Miam laughed so hard I was think I was gonna have me a fresh pair of lungs in my hands. She just shook her head:

" _Niño, you can be so damn corny at times."_

" _Hey,"_ I smiled back at them, _"it's all part of my charm."_

* * *

 **Raul**

* * *

I drew La Mano Izquierdo de Dios as we came to the door, Beatrix with her Ruger Vaquero. We pressed our orejas respectivas to the wood y escuchó. Voices inside, moving around like ratas pequeñas. Heh, someone call in un exterminador?

 _Tres,_ I point left.

 _Two on mine,_ she signaled back, _break, you, sweep left, me, sweep right._

I nodded, and drew La Mano Derecho de Dios to match his brother. Beatrix gave me a look:

 _You ready?_

I smiled.

 _Nacido Listo._

She smiled back, her eyes mendigar to take me.

 _Welcome home._

 _Good to be home._

I counted down.

 _Uno._

There was movement. Desperados were moving. Dos left… no tres. Uno desperado moved across room. One center. Could hear a chair gemido.

 _Dos._

" _Hey Dixon, when we sendin' our shipment up town? Big Sal's getting' anxious with this stuff going out so damn late!"_

" _Not my problem,"_ could hear him now. Rough, cocky… voz que pertenece a una cara que sólo una madre podría amar. Good to know, _"mebbe if Sal's kept good on his side with them Khan's, we wouldn't be growin' our own stuff, now would we?"_

 _Tres._

Mi bota went to the door y estalló into un mil pieces! I rushed inside, Los Manos de Dios hungry for desperado almas!

" _Knock Knock!"_

These desperados just about mierda sus pantalones. I took a relish in seeing their solo realización of the impending perdición standing before them. Eyes bulging, a punto de pop como uvas! I heard Beatrix move in mi derecho, Ruger hammer cocked. Dios… I've missed this!

" _Room Service! Reach for the skies, boys, or I'll put new holes in your heads!"_

Y so they did. There were cinco in total, tres on my end and dos on Beatrix, all dressed up en latex y bubber, más gas-masks! Que? Then I looked behind them, past el hojas de plastic and other furniture. Then I saw it, the compression máquinas, the rows of rows of little inhaler bottles, las bandejas y what was growing on those trays. I could see the usual: la setas, Peyotes… then I looked at their guantes de goma, y la brown smear.

" _So,"_ I grinned at them, _"what's cooking, eh?"_

I already knew. Lo ves, the production of Jet requires many things, but critical is of course mierda, y not just any mierda. Brahmin, y Brahmin solo. I'm not entirely sure why, pero I think it has something to do with el tracto digestivo y the chemicals that got fed to their ancestors and end up inserted in said mierda during… well, tú entiendes. Pero, I think too much.

" _Who the fuck are you guys?"_ one of the cooks on her end barked. Beatrix chuckled, pressing her Ruger into his nose:

" _We're the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. And we're here for your boss. Where is he?"_

Esos dos had been getting out their suits when we came in, so besides su cara giving it away so plainly with his shaking y océanos worth of sweat y sus ojos about to pop, you could also see he needed a change of pantalones. Then I heard movement from the lab. Footsteps. I gestured with Los Manos de Dios, and they moved over. As they did, un sies hombre came through the flaps, stopping at the door.

" _Right here, Beatrix. I was wonderin' when that bitch do-gooder would work up the gal to come get me."_

Beatrix smiled, el aspecto de un asesino en her eyes:

" _Ah, Dixie ol' boy. You never could get ahead could you? Nah, you had to start sellin' to kids, too. What, all the usual suspects got tired of y'all's brew?"_

He chuckled behind his mask, making him sound un poco loco, a little desvío:

" _Didn't you hear? It's flu season,"_ he removed la mascara, revealing a truly disgusting yellow face with un mustache so slimy, quería dispararle en principio. In truth, he looked as he was. Un poco rata, _"All I'm doin' is providing the meds. Ain't my fault if the little bastards have issues with it."_

" _Ah,"_ I gestured with La Mano Izquierdo de Dios to la granja de mierda behind, _"but you're not just making medicine."_

" _Well,"_ he shrugged, _"gotta make the bills somehow."_

Then I saw it. From the sudden shift in the air, Beatrix felt it tambien. It was little movements in the elbows, ojos darting a little downward, flickering back up when I looked. Pero el final de la pista came when I saw them shift their pies un poco, like they're going to bolt like poco ratas. That's okay, though.

I'm un gato grande… y I'm hungry for poco , why not give them a little motivation eh?

" _I know what you're thinking."_

They all looked at me extrañamente, el pequeño ratas, and then at each other. I smiled, walking un poco.

" _See, you're thinking 'there are five of us', I'm not counting you, Dixon, 'and only two of them. And plus, ones a little old... geezer.' You would say geezer, right?"_ I shrugged, Los Manos de Dios a little light en las manos. Pero yo soy el Director, ves? And these pequeño ratas are my audience.

"' _So, surely, we can get to our stashed away guns conveniently placed somewhere all so close by!'"_ I grinned, and gave la mirada de un zorro a mi cariño Beatrix, who could only grin ah so subtly back.

" _And why the fuck are you tellin' us all this?"_ El Rey Rata smirked, crossing arms all duro hombre and all that, _"Think we can't?"_

" _No,"_ I chuckled. I gave Beatrix el guiño, and she holstered her Ruger. Well, not before giving es el giro clásico as any proper gunfighting vaquera should! I turned back to them, and my smile soared with los sonidos de la clásica guitar strums that set the scene. All I needed now was un cactus sueltos to come rolling in.

" _No, what I'm saying is… you have to ask yourselves one question."_

" _And what question is that?"_

I looked up from mi sombrero, and smiled:

" _Do I feel lucky?"_ Los Manos de Dios went to their holsters, and my hands out. Then I channeled that scene, that moment of when hombres must be hombres. And while I am un imitación pálida to that truest hombre, I do take pride in channeling his spirit. So, my eyes squinted narrow with Ennio Morricone playing in the background, my teeth bared en un snarl, I gave them my gritty declaración:

" _Well do you…_ _punk_ _!?"_

They were stunned. They looked at each other. And then they hizo lo previsible. They're hands went for them. I could see it unfolding oh tan despacio, their hands soon filled.

Browning, Colt New Service's y S&W Schofield's. I could only smile. Smile as the hands came down, as las pistolas came to bear. No los salvaría. Smile y smile, and shake mi cabeza.

Then my hands touched leather, y Los Manos de Dios feasted. Flash after flash, kick after kick, el sonido gone with only the feeling, y el olor de sulfur, charcoal y potassium nitrate. Then the world came to be. I heard the thumps of bodies upon the floor. I looked up, y través del humo was standing only one, cowering, awe-struck… asustado.

" _Did you really have to quote Clint of all frickin' people?"_

I grinned at mi querida, mi Rosa Blanca de Texas, twirling her still smoking Ruger Vaquero 'tween fingers until at last they came to rest in her holster.

" _I tried being reasonable, Beatrix. I didn't like it."_

She could only chuckle. Ah, esa risita, that sparkle in sus ojos… that has been what I've been looking for.

" _Who… what are you?"_

I turned ah tan despacio y so dramáticamente, Los Manos de Dios in either mano hanging loose, through el valle de los muertos I walked. Until upon el rata, un animal mudo I was. Face to face, un animal mudo leaning far from me upon the table. I simply whispered, my eyes a reflection of my smile drawn so heavy upon lips, mi sonrisa de satisfacción…

" _I am El Espíritu de Venganza… the Ghost Vaquero. And you,"_ I gave him a subtle push, _"should take a seat."_

And so he did. And so I sat across from him, at the head. I sighed as it groaned under my weight… I should have been feeling mi edad, mis huesos groan with effort… I should have felt… old. Pero… I smiled, Los Manos de Dios lain on either side of me upon the table… for I feel young. I looked up, Beatrix coming to me, handing me dos cosas.

I set the first on the table, a Colt New Service. In front, in sight, as I looked up at un animal mudo. As I smiled at him.

 _"You ever read the Bible, Dixon?"_

El escorio gave me a look that I was expecting. Ojos mudos y huecos. Like the man I'd expected him to be. Un animal mudo.

 _"No,"_ I smiled, taking un poco de placer as I moved the Colt across the table... very slowly. Tanto, that it dragged along and drew widening eyes y un poco más de sudor to that ugly face of his. I stopped, just a little left of him, and drew back my hand. He did nothing. Un animal mudo.

 _"Of course, why would a man like you... you who sells poison to children, want to be reminded?"_

He breathed. Miedo. Yes, yes you are afraid. Y deberías.

 _"Reminded? Of fuckin' what?"_

 _"Where you will go... when your time is up."_

 _"I..."_ his eyes looked to the Colt, pero de vuelta a mi. He drew, but he stopped. I could only smile. No eres un hombre... eres un animal tonto, _"I ain't ready to die."_

 _"No one is,"_ I spread my arms, siendo teatral and I whispered, _"but we all will eventually. It only matters where we go."_

He looked at me, the way I wanted him to. El miedo. Seeing me not as I am... pero como el Fantasma.

 _"Mi abuelo once taught me something,"_ I closed my eyes. I remember... Mi dulce abuelo, y sus palabras... always with me, _"it was his favorite passage, you know? They were three, but he considered them one, you understand?"_

 _"What fuckin' passage?"_

 _"Revelations. 21:6 to 8. I am Alpha and Omega. I am your beginning and your end. To you, I shall give the waters of life freely. And those who walk in my path shall inherit this, and they shall be my children. But..."_ I leaned close, close for enough for him to see mis ojos... mi alma... and what will come for him, _"those who wrong their fellow man, shall burn in the lake of fire that is Hell."_

I then pushed the Colt all the way to his chest. So close that he could take it, pero como el animal mudo que es... he did nothing. I shall have to make it easy for him. I leaned back. Back and back until all the cards could be his.

Now he saw it. Now he tried. And I let him. I let him move, I let him take that pistol, I let him point it. Let him pull the trigger... and let him stand as un animal mudo when nothing happened.

I simply smiled as my hand let the bullets fall onto the table, clinking one after the other. I smiled at him:

 _"Now you know how it feels, don't you?"_

I saw not el hombre, ni un animal mudo... pero, a face of fear.

 _"To be... helpless."_

I drew my own, and let him see it. See it raised. See it come for him. A ninguna parte para correr.

 _"Ahora vas a conocer a Dios."_

 _"What?"_

 _"I said,"_ I leaned forward and replied, _"time to meet God."_

And amid the flash... and chorus... another body on the floor.

* * *

 **Gloria**

* * *

Yes. Yes. Bleed. Bleed and scream, Gideon. It is music to my ears. Oh, how I've been waiting for so long!

For so… many… years! To take my vengeance upon you! To give you le baiser de la mort. To make you suffer. To hear you scream and scream.

And how I will take pleasure in it. I pressed the needle deeper… digging… splitting, tearing away at the eye on the doll. Tearing away at your eye… well, an eye long since gone. But in the end:

" _Un œil pour un œil,"_ I whispered in the tongue of my mother and the mothers before her, _"don't you agree, Mr. Maddox?"_

The only response he could give were the ones I wanted. The ones I dream for. Never have I heard such beauty than in this, convulsing against the chair as the sea of red flowed and pooled from his left. It became a-flowed, a-drenched. The blood drinking through skin and flesh, as the powers of the effigy granted by la Mère Esprit flowing through me.

Yes… Yes, I can feel it now. The blood granting me my power. Hmm, I could smell it in the air. The pleasure filling me… drinking me. It was so… intoxicating! I could only throw back my head, laughing, my mind swimming… Le sang devenant une partie de moi, oh, le plaisir!

It was greater than a fuck! Greater than mere pleasure! This was vengeance! And it was sweet! The sweet… bubbling… bliss!

" _Sang pour le Dieu du sang!"_

And this… I granted a release. Pulled away the needle, the stuffing pulling through in puffing white cottons. And he, as much, slumped forward. Breath… so hard to take now. Gasping for it, and only so barely.

Alive… alive for me to please me.

" _But that is no surprise,"_ I swept over him, my fingers… dancing along the blood drunk skin… feeling, tasting… hmm, so this is what vengeance tastes… ah…

" _You always were strong… I would not be surprised if you could last me… days."_

" _Uuuuu…"_

I heard words. Words! So faint like the winds… I leaned in closer, tasting his blood… running my tongue over the lobe… mounting him. My legs straddling over him as I took his head in my hands, whispering ever so slightly:

" _What did you say, le amant?"_

He opened his eye, and I saw such fire! Such rage! Such beautiful, dancing wrath! Oh, you would kill me if you could. If… you only could.

" _Ah, but it matters not. I will not kill you yet. Not you… not your friends. You… please me. Especially that raven hair cette neige blanche! Oh,"_ I closed my eyes, relishing it, _"she responded so intimately! So experienced. And the pain from the man was so sweet—"_

" _Grraa…"_

I look down at him.

" _What? What did you say?"_

" _I… said,"_ he snarled, and then… he smiled? Why is he smiling?

" _Vous… oncle…_ _enfoiré!"_

I felt such fury that when I struck him, I could feel the chair shift… but when he came back, he grinned. He smirked… a bloody smirk.

" _What's… the matter?"_ he spat out the blood with a _ptoo, "Thought… your uncle… do_ _anything_ _for you! What… ashamed now?"_

" _VOTRE PORC!"_ I wrapped my hands around his throat, squeezing the life out of him while I screamed and screamed, _"VOUS CHOISIEZ UN OEIL! I WILL SEE YOU BURN IN THE NINE CIRCLES OF HELL!"_

" _Hnnn…"_ he squirmed under my grip, _"gg-good… see… you… there… you…"_

" _What?"_ I snarled in his face, leaning so close I could feel his hot, putrid breath upon my face. He wriggled and squirmed like le petit loup caught in the snare, tearing at the foot, so vicious in its nature.

" _Uncle… fucker!"_

Fire consumed me! Je suis devenu le feu! I could feel it! The frenzy! The blood-on-fire as ripped into le petit loup!

I smashed and smashed, tearing and gouging! But… but always… doux mère! Always smiling. He shouted over and over as I sought to hurt him:

" _The big bad uncle fucker! Oncle_ _enfoiré! Oncle_ _enfoiré!"_

I grabbed the doll and smashed the pin all the way through until I felt the needle prick me on the otherside. His eye shot wide, his mouth agate, scream withheld. He spasmed, shaking beneath me, his head shot back, his eye rolling in its socket! Then he went limp. Limp and his head slumped forward. He did not move.

He did not even flinch when I slapped him across the face.

" _Oh Esprit Mère, je suis allé trop loin ..."_

The door to the cell opened.

" _Mistress! There is a runner from the Crimson Caravan at the front! He says their boss wants to talk to you!"_

" _Oh pour l'amour de…"_

Of course, now she had to come calling. Alas, she has impeccable timing. I moved from my limp plaything, tossing the doll back upon the altar. I could only shake my head. So... disappointing.

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

It'd stopped. For an eternity, I heard them scream, feeling their pain through the walls, feeling it in me! And all I could do was cry! Cry because I was so fucking helpless. Stuck in this chair!

Oh God, what have I done to piss you off so much!?

" _You heard it too, huh? Ma douce petite chose?"_ I heard him whisper in my ear. I… I could feel him touching me now. Softly… running fingers through my hair… he… came in front of me, looking me in the eye, whispering, _"He's no longer screaming, isn't he?"_

I could hear Cass wailing in the distance. But not Gideon. And I… I heard him the loudest. Heard him scream like blades were ripping into him! The I heard him shout! Curse in… in the same language as this… monster sitting in front of me.

" _You know what that means… don't you?"_

I could only look away. Look and try to be as far as I could. Be in a place where dreams went to golden palaces and grew into something beautiful. But then I felt ice cold hands taking hold of me, yank me back… back to cold eyes ripping through my soul.

" _Listen, petit,"_ he snarled at me, _"listen! Listen to that silence! Listen to it! That silence is because of you!"_

 _No,_ I mouthed. He then grabbed me by the jaw, his fingers digging into my mouth.

" _Yes. My sister is not a kind woman! And your friend? She has been wantin' to take from him his weight in flesh for years! She knows no mercy! But you? You could have stopped it!"_

 _Please,_ I mouthed again. He then yanked me over. Over to look at Boone, screaming and shaking in the chair as convulsed, the foam a moat around his mouth, his body burning with smoke! It went on for minutes… minutes as the lights flickered, as his silhouette burned itself into the wall.

Then they stopped. He fell into his seat. He… he was barely breathing!

" _You see?"_ I felt him whisper in my ear, _"I on the other hand, know mercy. I am le plus proche chose que vous avez à un ange you have right now. So tell me somethin'. How many friends are you gonna watch die till you find the guts? Till you tell me what I need to know?"_

Boone looked up at me… his face… Oh God, it was like looking at a skeleton. He tried to speak, but he couldn't. So, he shook his head slowly, his eyes hard as stone. He was telling me not to. But… if they hit him again… it would kill him! Oh God, please no!

" _I see,"_ he got up again, raising his hand, _"again."_

" _NO!"_ I screamed, _"No, please! Please stop! Please! I'll tell you anything! Just stop!"_

He lowered his hand, smiling down at me.

" _Tell me the truth. And only the truth."_

" _Okay! Please just don't—"_

" _Does the King know anything? Did your people tell him anything?"_

I… I didn't know. I didn't know what the others had gotten up to. I didn't know anything! But I knew if I told them that… I reach inside myself, pulling at my inner actress… and lied like my life depended on it:

" _No. He doesn't know anything! I swear!"_

He smiled at me again.

" _Good. Good. See, that wasn't so hard."_

Suddenly the door slammed open.

" _Sir! We gotta a runner from…"_ he looked at me and quickly changed his mind about something, _"our partners. She wants to talk to you and your sister!"_

He sighed, and shook his head. He looked at me… like a creep. As he went, I could tell he was undressing me in his mind. And that… that made feel cold.

" _Another time then,_ _ma douce,"_ he went for the door, taking his goons with him, _"oh, and tell that idiot Pacer his plans a go."_

The door shut close. I breathed. I panted. God, I feel like I got dropped in an ocean!

" _Boone?"_ I looked over to him. He… looked so weak. His skin had become pale, and his chest was swollen red. He shifted slowly at me, like holding his head up took all the effort of the world. He looked at me… he was worried for me.

" _Are…"_ he croaked like a rusty door hinge, _"you… okay?"_

 _"Am I okay?"_ I shook my head at him, _"What about you?"_

" _I've…_ _had…"_ he then grinned slightly at me, _"worse."_

He then coughed violently, and I expected to his lungs coming out of his mouth. I gave the room around me a look, observing where everything was. I looked at the door, trying to think of a way to open it from in here. Then I heard it. The sound of the bolt being unlocked.

I expected that big ape to come on through, but nobody did. It just stood there, closed but unlocked. I craned my ears, listening. Maybe… birds. I could hear the flapping of bird wings in the distance, and I could only smile.

" _Hang on, Boone. I'm gonna get us out of here."_

" _Hhh,"_ he coughed again, _"how?"_

I sighed deeply, moving my hand to the back of the chair. I closed my eyes, and steeled myself for what was coming next:

" _Very painfully."_

I slammed my hand against the chair. Oh God! Mmm-my… thumb! Goddamn… oh fuck! My hand felt like it was cold and on fire all at the same time!

I gritted my teeth, giving everything I had to hold in my scream as I slid my hand through the handcuff, my dislocated thumb giving it the room. When it was free, I immediately brought it up to my face, expecting to see the nightmare the pain in my hand was telling me. But… it wasn't. It was only bent forward into my palm. I couldn't see any breaks, and the pain wasn't bad enough to be a fracture.

So, I took my thumb with my other hand, still bearing the handcuff, and I snapped it back into place! I fell on the floor from the pain, agonizing rolls of pain waves hitting the surfs off my body for a minute. But… it went away. I was free! I moved to the door, and it opened.

I moved through it slowly, poking my head out the inches I needed. There was nobody in sight. Okay, now I needed to get us out of here.

" _Hang on,"_ I whispered, _"I'll be right back."_

" _Not… going… anywhere."_

* * *

 **Wade**

* * *

The crowd has arrived. Took 'em a while, but ain't nobody can resist the strange concoction of smooth jazz mixed with that techno stuff from New Reno. Funny bunch these Van Graffs are. Heard all manner of strange and twisted yarns 'bout 'em from the Bishop Family. Ah y'know, things like black cats, debauchery and sorcery.

All the typical tripe you'd fine in for that Adams-like Family who dapples in the occult nobody likes. Truth is, none of 'em know what the true evils that exist in the deep, dark corners of this world. With that… the sudden coldness. The chill in the bone that comes with the north wind. I closed my eyes, feeling the scar on my cheek... the coldness grippin' me.

I could see it. Deep… deep into the memory. It's eyes, red and bloodied… across a mass of shadow, dancing in the pale moonlight. Whipping silently through the Maryland fog and mist… its voice… piercing… ripping into my mind as it became one with the shadows; slipping silently through the swamp like the mist around it I couldn't understand it, but it was there, hunting me… stalking me.

I laughed a little to myself. What is with trouble always wantin' to find me, eh? Am I just that irresistible? Heh. Y'know what, don't answer that, don't wanna know.

" _Whachya thinking, brat?"_ I heard Illie whisper at my shoulder, _"Thinking of all the exotic women and their men wanting to shank you for stealing them away?"_

I could only laugh.

" _Never my choice, Illie. Just seem to fall into my lap sometimes."_

" _Well, that's disturbing."_

" _Not as disturbin' as you, Oh Lady Death. Good thing no kids are around. You'd give 'em a heart attack."_

" _I'll take that as compliment, brat,"_ she scowl-grinned me, curtsying before me with her long black cloak held in either hand like a proper lady of the high court, _"buncha pansies that they are. Besides, aren't you a little early for the,"_ she then took up that strange-as-hell cockneyness we'd seen in one of House's old reels, _"November gun-powder an' all that, eh, govn'r?"_

I could only laugh at the goofyness of it all. A trio of proper, well-oiled killin' machines, dancin' round and round in goofy costumes! It reminded me instantly of that 'chap' Chaplain, prancin' round and round, getting kicked on his ass only to laugh and do it all again! So, I followed suit with my laughter as I fitted the mask to my face, the suctions gluing into place as I danced and chanted, waving my hands with all the dramatic flair as I could muster:

" _Remember, remember, the Fifth of November, the Gunpowder Treason and Plot! I know of no reason why the Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot!"_

She laughed at me, slapping her hands on her thighs like a crazy person going truly nutty:

" _You are so weird, brat! Ah, well. Hand me the tin."_

And so I did, and so she continued her spooky transformations. The base was of course the white, making her face as pale as the ghosts of her ancestors. She then dipped her fingers into the black, streaking down in patterns over the eyes, the cheeks and the lips. Black, frightening ovals came over her eyes, and in gloom she truly looked mighty spooky! But it was not yet complete: she removed long coil feathers, placing each in her braded hair until it was like I was seein' somekinda angry looking crow looking to gobble me up!

Oh wait, that's just her face. Meh. Either way, I hope the fools who do get in her way bring their brown pants first, and red dinner jackets seconds. Give you three guesses on why.

" _Ah, niños pequeños!"_ I heard Miam chuckle behind us. We both turned, and there, in the pale moonlight like a spotlight upon some Lex Nightgirl at high time in New Reno, Miam danced softly in as she applied her own mask:

" _In this town, we call home, everyone hails to the pumpkin song!"_ she bobbed and twirled like a ballerina, her cloak whirling about like silken nightingale, _"In this town, don't we love it now? Everybody's waiting for the next surprise!"_

Now she bobbed her pace, and started going our way, disappearin' into the shadows. Still, we could hear her soft, whispering melody slowly comin' at us like somekinda willow-wisp.

" _Round that corner, little niño, hiding in the moonlight, somethings waiting now to pounce, and how you'll scream!"_

And through the billowing shadow-light, there she was: bowing with bent knee and hands spread wide. Yeah, you better believe we clapped until our hands went numb. There she looked up at us, her eyes and warming smiling peering through her silver and emerald masquerade mask.

" _Gracias mis hijos."_

Illie gave me a broad smile.

" _See? That's how you do weird, brat. Not that Shakespeare shit—"_

" _It was Fawkes actually."_

" _Still shit. This though? This is weird with class. Weird with style!"_

" _Aw, thank you, niña."_

I could only shrug. Let's be fair, I can't really argue that now, can I?

" _Sounds like I got work to do."_

" _Indeed, mi chico alto,"_ she smiled at me, _"now, I suppose we do as well?"_

" _Yes,"_ I nodded slowly, placing the bolero hat upon my crown, fitting snuggly over the mask, _"remember, this can't be traced back to Cortez or House. So, whatever you do, don't lose your masks. Other than that, there's not much else to say. We've done this before. So all I can say is… well, go kick some ass and look good doin' it!"_

Illie clapped slowly:

" _That's a great plan, navezgane!"_

Ah, you know me! Can't take 'em lyin' down.

" _Ah, only the best, dayden!"_

I then tipped my hat to her and she rolled her eyes at me. Eh, best I can get. I then reached under my cloak, feeling for where Masayoshi hung at my hip. I pulled it slightly feelin' the easy give way. I then traced my hands down to the Sig-Sauer 12.7 pistols strapped to my legs.

I cleared leather, gave 'em a tug, felt smooth in the draw. Satisfied, I looked up, seein' the others doin' the same. Miam with her H&K MP-5 and Czech made CZ75, Illie with her Ithaca 37 Stakeout and .357 Ruger Magnum. Each fitting perfectly under the black cloaks. Behind the mask, I smiled.

" _Shall we?"_

" _After you,"_ Miam gestured with her hand. I nodded, and took point. By now, the crowds that would show had shown and were already inside. Could start to hear the loud thumping of techo-marvels with smooth acoustics and vocals. We approached the black building, neon lights dancing and bobbling, the words _Lion's Den_ blazin' proudest gold with a looming Alpha above his pride.

Bouncer up front, alone, gave us halt:

" _Nice costumes,"_ he smirked, _"but I'll need to—"_

My hand went for the Katana, my Iaijutsu honed and practiced; back in its saya in a breath. The bouncer clutched at his throat, blood poring through his hands as he stumbled back in his chair. We quickly passed him. We hit the double backed wooden doors, golden knockers pressed with Lions heads. Now the music was getting louder: electrical synths, tapping drums and percussion forming in that strange marriage of New Reno Techno and Baton Rouge Smooth Jazz.

And to top it off? A vocal so smooth and silk it was practically heavenly:

 _"_ _Time don't wait for no one, s_ _o my heart and my time I refuse to waste! Y_ _ou thought you knew the score but t_ _here's just so much more when you're caught in the race! What is love, without a flame?_ _What's a rose, without a name?_ _What is pleasure without pain?_ _It ain't nothing more than an empty space! "_

 _"Hmm,"_ Miam mused, _"catchy tune."_

 _"Yeah,"_ I drew the Sig-Sauer's, _"time to go to work."_


	26. Chapter XXV: Rock n' Roll Blues

**Chapter XXV:**

 **Rock n' Roll Blues**

* * *

 **The King**

* * *

I could feel 'em long 'fore I could even hear 'em. A thousand pairs of shoes and probably thousand more tinny tango feets all dancing long to the sound of the beat. Couldn't help but start dancin' a jig to the sound of the drums and banjo's playing into the night. Flipping round, snappin' big, twirlin' nice and good—

 _"Very nice, Mr. King,"_ Jeffie came about to spoil my fun, but I know he had the urge to watch me work from the shadows; all boogeyman and like, but hey! What can you do? _"Crowds will love it. Well,"_ he smiled all devil-in-disguise with brimstone in the back, _"that's if you get on stage. Your denizens are getting restless."_

 _"They ain't mine,"_ I smiled back, givin' the ol' wig a good adjustin' in the mirror, _"keep tellin' you. May show them the way. May give them the better path. But that don't make them mine."_

 _"All of them would disagree, sir,"_ he shook his head ol' weary and like, givin' me the smile to sell the image of a beat old dog laughin' ways at his foolhardy owner, _"to them, you_ _ **are**_ _their King. If you'd ask, they might even bow to you."_

 _"Aw shucks, Jeffie. You got me mighty flustered. But the day I turn full Jesus is the day I hang this up an' give it to someone who knows what I mean."_

 _"Is that before or after being crucified, sir?"_

 _"Oh, Ima hopin' never comes to that,"_ I laughed all coon-doggy, _"don't think I'd make a fine display, hangin' all like that! Gotta have some moves first! Give a little sway and snap!"_

 _"Of course, sir."_

Ah, that's good 'nough. Can only aspire to be the coolest of the cool. Sure, can come close. But it's hubris to assume it'll go further. I held up a pair of shades, an' he gave the needed approval. Went to the closet, pulling on the ol' white-as-Snow-White blouse.

 _"So, any word from Cass an' her compatriots? I'm startin' to get a little worried."_

 _"Nothing yet, sir. But,"_ he stopped, and gave me that ol' uncertain baby face. Gave him a look and he just shook his head, _"it's the NCR, sir. The boys are already having a hard-enough time keeping things safe and settled. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"_

 _"And what? Leave your kids without a great show? Gotta be dumb and blind to think I'd ever chicken out like that."_

 _"Your safety concerns me."_

 _"And I thank you for that. But Jeffie,"_ I sighed, slumping into that chair like that Thinker Statue, complete with my hand on my cheek as I looked ol' crossways at him, _"it's been a hard year. We've done and did and beaten to the bone gettin' this place goin'. They need this, y'know? Just a night to shake off the ol' bones and dust, and just be; just have a night to 'em selves."_

He cocked the eyebrow at me:

 _"Sounds like you need this, too."_

 _"Gone are the days of_ _ **us**_ _. Just us performin' and givin' folks a great and grand show to take their minds offa things. And I miss those days, Jeffie. Back when things were simple. Back when we could just be."_

He nodded softly, and smiled like a good ol' fresh wind bringin' with it meadows and sunshine, and all that mighty fine goodness in life ever so unpresent:

 _"Then let's enjoy tonight, then."_

Gave him the brightest smile cap's or whatever else worthy and valuable could bring. I took him by the shoulder as the two of us started marchin' out like soldier-boys on the prowl.

 _"Speaking of which, you seen Pacer? Just 'bout disappeared on me a few hours back."_

 _"Boys tell me he had to settle matters."_

There was something unsettlin' and nasty in that tone of his. Gave him a stop, and a hand on the shoulder, plus a good peer into his soul. He just shook his head and returned the gesture.

 _"Sir,"_ he sighed after a length, _"I know you two grew up together, and I know how things are now, but I do not trust him."_

 _"Pacer's been loyal—"_

 _"To you, sir. Not to_ _ **the King**_ _. And not to_ _ **Freeside**_ _. If he was, he'd have cut off his ties to the Van Graffs a long time ago."_

 _"Jeffie, who am I to tell him who he can and cannot swing with?"_

 _"Because Gloria is a snake, sir. She'll bite us just for the pleasure. And to be frank, Pacer's a punk."_

 _"But he's_ _ **my**_ _punk, Jeffie. And don't you forget all the times he pulled our hides outta the fire. After all, you can only get so far with only a kind word. I owe him that much."_

 _"I'm telling you, sir, this isn't going to end well for us."_

I could only smile and nod my head:

 _"Here's to hoping things don't go that way. Now, how eager are the crowds?"_

" _Well, my boy is about ready to take on his namesake and start eating poor souls."_

" _Well then,"_ I chuckled like a goon-playin' charades and failin', but laughing anyways, _"I ought to get out there, eh? No need to have a late-night cutlery."_

Jeffie smiled at me with a warmth beyond the mere friend one could afford. Pacer mebbe what kept me alive, but this handsome-as-gold scarecrow-man is what holds everything I've built together on two solid feet an' some change. I wouldn't be here without either, an' I ain't afraid to admit that. Hubris is the bane of many, something… something I know all too well. I will not join them in the grave.

At least, not yet.

 _"Well,"_ buttoned my blouse and held my arms all-wide an' such, _"how do I look?"_

 _"Like a King."_

He then pulled a walkie out from his coat.

 _"Showtime, boys. The King is coming out,"_ then 'fore I could walk all further he took me by the arm, an' something ol' cold and heavy found its way into my hand. I knew what it was but I looked anyway. I just shook my head as the crisp silver frame of the 44 AutoMag reflecting my looks in their all-finely honed leather.

 _"I doubt I need this cannon. I have you."_

 _"Sir, just for once give me some peace of mind? At least I know you won't be a duck to a shotgun wedding."_

I nodded, and strapped the heavy thing to my middle. Now I could walk free and easy… well, perhaps not easy. Now I could hear that ol' wretched Mr. Gloom sendin' out such provocative and disgusting slurs my ma woulda blushed and cried. Hence, I shall never repeat them; they are along the lines of gobblin' li'l ones and stealin' their candies.

Well, I'm gonna put an end to all evil-doing and hobwashery the only way I know how. At the send of the stage before I hit the curtains, I plucked an all too conveniently placed torch. And when I hit the stage, an' all the glamor and lights came to rest on my all-weary crown-of-thorns, I felt rather than heard the on-rush of concussion makin' cheering of my name, sight, and prowl. But the best part? Mr. Gloom about turned and shrieked like a scaredy-cat out prowl on the walkway 'fore gettin' roadkilled by a run-way automobile:

 _"Nooooooooooo! It is the King himself! Noooooooooo!"_

 _"Yes!"_ I bellowed with my shoulders all spread-out like I was gonna pull some King-Kong dance number… kinda glad nobody could see 'cause I had the goofiest grin one could fathom!

 _"I have come to bring you_ _ **doom**_ _, Mr. Gloom! Your reign of cursing terror ends here!"_

 _"Noooooooooo! Mercy! Mercy!"_

 _"Mercy, you say?"_ I then turned to the hundreds, no thousands… aw shucks, whatever number, an' grinned like a buffoon as I held the torch high and clear like some mural-god, bellowing, _"Well, how 'bout it? Shall we spare the terrible, the almighty Mr. Gloom?"_

The response was immediate, jubilant, and thunderous:

 _ **"Burn him!"**_

 _"Noooooooooooo! Mercy!"_

 _"The people have spoken! You have brought_ _ **great**_ _ **misfortune**_ _upon our misbegotten lives! And now! You shall_ _ **burn!**_ _"_

I then tossed the torch at the foot of the great ghost-monster. The cloth had been soaked with kero-stuff, and such. So he went up like tinder box at high noon on a stormy day!

 _"Noooooooooo!"_ he screamed, waving his arms about as he flailed like black cat in water, _"You have not seen the last of_ _ **me!**_ _I shall_ _ **return!**_ _I shall gobble your children_ _ **up!**_ _Ahhhhh!"_

Then the last of his screams went out as the flames reach higher, burning and burning like a ring of fire! I then turned to the crowds, arms spread and the like. I smiled and smiled and smiled as the cheered on and on! God… I missed this!

 _"Ladies! Gentlemen! Children! I am truly sorry for keepin' y'all waitin'! Things are 'nought and tight an' such hard things that we set this good fella on fire for! But tonight… tonight I have a show for you all!"_

I snapped my fingers, and from behind me the grand curtains opened an' my boys in stripes and thunderous bass an' teagles stood at my beck an' call. I snapped my fingers once more and from my left a microphone came my way. No sooner than it touchin' my fingertips, the boys started their tune. Already the folks down low started swaying and snappin'. Hey, great start already.

I gave a wink, an' a smile, and started swinging way:

 _"I said, 'Take it easy, baby! I worked all day and my feet feel just like lead! You got my shirt tails… Flyin' all over the place! And the sweat poppin' out of my head!'"_

I was swinging left. I was swinging right. Hips swaying, fingers snappin'. An' like that ol' Pied Piper himself, I had an audience of copy-catters. So, I smiled like a shoe shine and carried on my fine work:

 _"She said, 'Hey, Bossa nova, baby! Keep on a workin' child! This ain't no time to quit'! She said, 'Go, Bossa nova, baby! Keep on dancin', I'm about to have myself a fit!'"_

" _Bossa nova!"_

" _Bossa nova!"_

" _Bossa nova!"_

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

You know that story where the mouse wakes up in the belly of a snake pit full of sleeping snakes? Has to crawl his way out, squirming through the still, sleepy snakes; trying not to wake them? Well, that's about how I feel right at this very moment. You see, the problem… well, there are several problems here, actually. But I'll go through them one by one anyways.

One, it's dark as… well, I'm not sure what's darker than night, but you get your point. Two, this place is crawling with goons. Oh sure, they're all distracted doing their own thing. Like when I passed by this one room, crawling so low I was practically part of the floor and then rolling past the door: caught a glimpse of about five playing poker. Or what I assume is poker.

Actually, come to think of it, the cards were set up like they were playing Solitaire. But that can't be right. You only play Solitaire by yourself, so why were all five of them playing it? What, were they comparing who could beat themselves upside up first? Ah, it doesn't matter.

So, that leads to my big problem. Quite embarrassingly… I have no idea where I am or where I'm going. Originally, I figured everybody else's cells had to be down the hallway considering… well, I was wrong. It turns out they had an intercom system set up in the walls of my cell, so I could hear what was going on. Yeah, you can probably guess how I feel right now.

I mean… out of all of them. Cass, Gideon and Boone… they picked me to break. I—I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about that. After checking both ways, and listening for a bit, I just sighed and slumped against the wall.

 _"All I wanted was a ride… see the world… maybe learn something… anything… to help those… big, dumb, lovable idiots back home. What do I get out of it?"_

I just shook my head at what I was doing. I mean, I was talking to nothing… and yet I figured somebody was listening. I don't know why they should care. I mean, why should they? I'm nobody. I'm not some blonde haircut superman who somehow ended up as the Savior of the Universe.

I'm just—

 _"Jeez, that woman went ten levels of freaky on this guy. Well Doc, will he live?"_

 _"Yes… but I fear he's in some kind catatonic state. He's breathing, and he possess some cardiac activity."_

 _"But?"_

I then heard fingers snapping.

 _"Aw, I see. One-eye's out of it."_

I look up to the ceiling, imagining some wondrous feathery being sitting on a nice, comfy marshmallow cloud looking down at me with a nice big, all-knowing smirk. I just smiled and mouthed _thank you_. Trust me, girl's got to know to take her breaks with stride! So, I rolled over to the opposite wall, and started creeping up to the ajar door.

 _"Well, what does Mistress Gloria want us to do exactly? The guy's practically vegetable!"_

I got to the corner, and poked my head around. Two black men, one young and the other old and… well, he looked like he should be the minister of some abbey or even better, some grizzled old schoolmaster; long oak ruler within easy reach for its twelfth victim that day. They had their backs turned, and there was… Oh god. What did they do to him?

" _Keep him hydrated. I'm not sure, but the rumor is this is the guy that iced Uncle Tulius."_

" _You're shitting me."_

" _Hey, just a rumor."_

 _"Guess that's enough for her to… well, do this to him."_

Gloria Van Graff… my hands clamped into fists. I felt like crushing something. Her throat will do. Maybe her head, too. I swear I'll…

I sighed silently, and eased myself down. Soon, I told myself. But right now… I've got to get Gideon out. I've got to get them all out. But I have to be focused. When I closed my eyes, I found myself in another world.

It'd been… well, I wouldn't really call it a dojo per say, but Ramos had an Eastern flair to his training. And throwing me onto the floor.

 _"That was sloppy, Veronica,"_ he tut-tuted me while my back burned like a barbeque but I was the hotdog, _"I could practically hear you coming. Your impatience is starting to test mine."_

Now, this was before I became the clever, sexy, ass-kicking individual you see before you. I'd been tossed around so many times that morning that I had just about had it. I went at him, all my guns blazing… and I ended up on my ass again, his foot on my chest.

 _"Your anger gives you power. It can be the difference between you seeing Christine again, or ending up in a cold, dark place; far away from here. But if you let it cloud your reality, as you did here, it will destroy you."_

 _"So,"_ I groaned as I inched off the mat, _"what the hell am I supposed to do then? Play housewife? I'm a terrible cook, you know."_

He smiled down at me, removing the foot and giving me a boost. When I came back face to face with this literal bear of a man, he gave me **the look**. Everyone has seen it once or twice in their lifetime. When infinite and awesome wisdom is going to be dispensed, and you've got a front row seat.

 _"Patience, Veronica. If you are to succeed in combat against the best of the wasteland, you must have patience. You must observe your enemy, foresee their weakness, and plan to every possible degree. Only then will you claim victory… and be alive to return to your family."_

Patience wins. Yes, I could go in and beat them right now. I would have surprise on my side, so that always helps. But I don't have my suit, and these guys both will have about forty-pound weight advantage on me. I need to fight smart, not dumb.

So, very quiet like, I trotted back to something I'd made a note of earlier. There was a section of conduit line exposed through the crack wall. Now, considering the lights are out for this entire hallway, I think it's a safe bet that this place hasn't had a life current run in centuries. I got this nice, three-foot length that just jutting out from the crumbling drywood. A good boot wedge and I got me a nice hunk of steel.

I then grabbed a stray brick. Don't know why it's there, but know it will serve my great and awesome purposes… you have no idea how hard it is to resist laughing manically! I got back to the door, and the two jerkwads were still posing there like big dumb gorillas. After doing a good perimeter check and finding that they were trapped with me, I went through with the plan.

I chucked the brick against a wall, and like good little brick, it broke and smash and left a nice _thunk!_

 _"What the hell!?"_

I heard them coming and I made myself flush against the wall. First jerkwad came through with a flashlight. Checked up and down the hallway, and missed me altogether. Though not by much, I should add. He then saw the brick and started walking.

 _"Hey,"_ the pastor looker came through the door, _"what'd you find?"_

As he turned, I smacked him over the head. Unfortunately, as steel to fleshy things are ought to do, it reported loudly and that didn't help when he dropped noisily to the floor. But, here's the fun part. It's all part of the plan!

 _"What the-?"_

I chucked the pipe at him boomerang style and his head went red as the Red Menace poster pieces drool over. As he stumbled back, I made my move. First, I slid to my knee and slammed my fist into the inside of his knee. When he dropped, he hit him right at the nerve cluster between his chest and his shoulder. That made him swing left and open up his throat to my fist.

Finally, as he was choking on his words, I then lunged my knee straight into face. With a good ol' fashioned _crack_ , he dropped like a bad of potatoes. A few check pulses later, and I had me a couple of cold cases. Granted, I now had the job of dragging their useless blobs back into the room.

 _"Jeez,"_ I groaned as I got mister-possible-pastor by the shoulders and brought him over, _"lay off cuisine for a while, big boy!"_

I then quietly shut the door behind me. Now I had to figure out what was wrong with Gideon. His head was craned back, and drool was filtering down his chin; his body slack and limp. But the worst part were his eyes. The bandaged one was soaked with blood, and the other was rolled back into its socket.

Now, I'm no sawbones, but I had a sick feeling what had happened. I've seen enough interrogations to know the look of somebody doped out of their mind. But he was alive. His pulse was steady, but weak. Hey, I'll take good news any day.

But there was something wrong here. When I rolled up his sleeves, I expected to find a whole lot of little red pimple like holes. But he was clean! Aside from the—fingernail scratches—fucking bitch, he didn't look like they'd touched him at all!

I just don't—

" _Wait,"_ I'd just noticed it all of a sudden, _"what's that smell? Is that… incense."_

There was an alter behind me. The kind you'd see in some B-Movie about witches and hobgoblins and all that nonsense.

" _Well, as far Pagan Worship goes,"_ I chuckled, remembering what Cass had said earlier, _"this'll do. But—what the hell?"_

There was a doll in the middle of his bowl. And it looked like… Gideon? I picked up the little thing. It kinda reminded me of those cutsie little dolls that blonde… you know, what I mean. I swear, Melissa Watkins can really get me going.

Not my fault she's Taggart's little teacher's pet… in more ways than one.

" _So, what are you doing in place like this, little guy?"_

I suppose you could call me crazy for being so superstitious. But come on! If angels don't change your perception on things, then you're stubborn to the point of… what's that head reporters name? The one that always wants Spiderman in prison? Heh, Christine would have a feel day with me.

" _Oh dear,"_ I sighed, _"hey Christie! Guess what? There are angels now, and voodoo… and probably a wholelot of other stuff… what about you? Anything weird?"_

What a second. If this is a voodoo doll, and if the needle is jammed through his eye, then…

" _Hmm, well, wouldn't be the craziest thing ever—"_

When I yanked the needle out, Gideon suddenly shot forward in his seat, gasping and rasping. I practically threw myself at him, my hand clasped on his mouth. I don't need him screaming!

" _Shhh, it's me! Gideon, it's me!"_

His eye centered on my face.

" _That's it. It's okay. Auntie V is here. Did you have a good nap?"_

He laughed in my hand. But then he saw the doll in my hand, and his eye lit up again.

" _Gft thft fuchking fthing fway from me!"_

" _Oh, sorry!"_

I was about to toss it away, but he squirmed when I moved to do it.

" _No dfon't!"_

He then deadpanned me like I was some dunderhead bombshell.

" _Pfease thake your fand from my fouth."_

" _Oh,"_ I laughed embarrassingly, _"double sorry."_

" _Thank you,"_ he sighed, _"how'd you get out?"_

" _Very painfully, thank you very much. How about you?"_

" _Well how do I look?"_

" _Point taken. So, voodoo, huh?"_

" _Yup. Strange week. I think Gloria left a key on the altar. Could you be kind enough to get me out of here?"_

It took a minute, but there it was. Plus, a ring of other keys. That'll come in handy, so I'm going to hold onto that.

" _So,"_ he asked as I got to his handcuffs, _"you take these two out? Ah, who am I kidding. Of course, you did. You afterall punched me so damn hard I couldn't breathe for five minutes."_

" _It wasn't five minutes!"_

" _It was too!"_

" _Fine, five minutes whatever."_

Something… something was eating at me. It's what these guys said. I don't know why, but—

" _I was a cleaner."_

I looked up at him, his hands running through his swollen wrists. He looked up at me, his eye… his face… I don't know, it was almost unreadable.

" _What?"_

" _You were thinking about it. I could tell."_

" _No, no. I get that. But you said you were… a cleaner? What, you ran a laundry shop over in Chinatown?"_

He didn't laugh.

" _No… I was a… uh, well… a hitman."_

I… I didn't know how to take that. All the stereotypes of sleazy men, Irish or Italian accents, plus a good suit and a toothpick planted firmly in the teeth just about went out the window. I didn't realize it, but my finger went instinctually up to my lips. I might've even made a _hmm_ sound for all I know.

" _What?"_

" _Oh, I'm just thinking."_

" _About?"_

" _You in a suit. Maybe a clean cut, hair all combed nicely."_

" _Well, how's that image coming?"_

" _You definitely look like someone who'd look like the star of some set piece Mafioso movie. I may even call you Scarface from now on."_

I really, **really** wanted him to say that line. Yes, you know the one I'm talking about. But of course, he didn't. I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

" _So,"_ I walked over to him for some reason, _"this Uncle Tulius…"_

" _Gloria's."_

" _Ah,"_ I nodded slowly, looking him up and down. I… really don't know how to take this. Gideon's the kindest man I've met but… no, it makes perfect sense.

" _So, why'd you do it?"_

" _For the money, I suppose. My employers wanted him dead."_

" _I see."_

" _Veronica,"_ he took me by my shoulders, his eye boring into mine with a tired, ragged expression, _"I know how this looks. Trust me, whatever you're thinking… I'm thinking it too. But now is not the time. We have to get the others out of here. Do you know where they are?"_

I sighed deeply, closing my eyes.

 _Patience,_ Ramos's words rang through my head, _patience._

" _Boone… but I don't know about Cass. They rigged up an intercom system to make it seem like we were next to each other."_

" _Okay, that's a start at least. Did you get a count of the guys on this floor?"_

" _I dunno, about ten? Maybe more or less. They didn't seem to be packing."_

" _Wait, what?"_

" _Yeah,"_ I rolled the bodies over, showing him their lack of holsters, but finding something else of interest, _"they do have these."_

It was long and cold from its smooth rubber hilt to the steel finish.

" _Stun batons."_

I nodded, giving it a good _whack_ for good show-and-tell, the electrical generator giving off a discharge that cooked the air. He nodded solemnly as he took one in his hands, running his fingers over it. Examining it. Hmmm…

" _Hmm, well that does level the playing field a bit. But,"_ storing the baton on his belt, he suddenly took the doll from my hand, looking down at it, _"we need to destroy this."_

" _What do you need exactly?"_

" _Salt, kerosene, and a match."_

I raised an eyebrow:

" _Any chance you might explain your sudden knowledge on this spooky subject?"_

He gave me a look, and I sighed.

" _Okay,"_ I nodded slowly, _"but you're telling me everything when this is over."_

" _Fine by me."_

* * *

 **Wade**

* * *

My hands felt the cold, refined steel and polymer of the Twelve-Sevens. Slick and smooth as silk; light and easy in my palms. So damn natural it was like extensions of my hands… Alright. Enough stallin'.

A look left and right, confirmations all around. Let's get this over with.

" _Darling I'm killed! I'm in a puddle on the floor, waiting for you to return! "_

I swung the doors wide…

" _Oh what a thrill! Fascinations galore! How you tease, how you leave me to burn! "_

And I found myself staring at least a hundred… kids! They're all kids! Okay, mebbe they're only a few years younger than me, but still!

" _Ah, shit,"_ I cursed, quickly puttin' the Twelve Sevens back in their place. From the subtle change in the air and the shifting of fabric, I knew they were doin' the same. So much for going in guns blazin', last thing I need is to get these idiots killed.

" _It's so deadly my dear! The power of having you near! "_

There were all dressed in all kinds of stuff. Some sorta fanciful, others… well, being a bum never goes out of style I suppose. The room was filled with so much noise, and vocals it was damn near hard to hear. Techno's, jazz and steppin' of a hundred kids dancing and twirling drummed to the beat of the flashing clublights and floods on the ceiling bathing the place in a shifting sea of blues and reds.

" _Until that day! "_

The shifting bodies swaying and twerking to the beat of the music brought with a shiftin' sense of light shifting lightning. Lights bouncing everywhere, going dark and light in quick recession. Damn stuff was almost hypnotic, and I was tempting to just stand there petrified. But I felt Miam's hand on my shoulder and started wading into the crowd.

" _Until the world falls away! "_

My eyes started trackin' movement. Left, right, front stage, up and down. Men in complete black like they were attending a funeral. And although it was tough to see, I knew they were packing. And as one was walkin' on the broadwalk, I could see the subtle profile of something strange lookin'.

My guess was plasma. Good thing I brought armor.

" _Until you say there'll be no more goodbyes! "_

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Miam was looking up. Five of 'em, watching the stage and the crowd. These guys had coats on. I looked at her and she gestured again. I nodded, and she started wading through the masses; her cloak blowin' in the wake like that radio vigilante.

" _I see it in your eyes! "_

I turned to Illie, and gestured with a hand; cocking my head in that _well, shall we?_ expression. She scoffed at me, and gave me a good slug for good measure. Don't mind. Completely expected it. 'Cause next moment, she was gettin' down like it was nobody's business, and I'd be lying if I'd said I wasn't feelin' a little heat and not from the dozen men lookin' down at us like vultures.

" _Tomorrow never dies! "_

Now, I'm not the well versed in the smooth moves, but don't it ever be said I don't give it my best regardless. Oh mama. Little surprised I didn't see 'em before. Now, I've seen one or two strip dances in Reno, but mama dearest… Illie saw what I was lookin' at, and I had to dodge a kick aimed for my groin.

 _Eyes here, brat,_ I heard her mouth. Couldn't help but laugh from behind the mask. If only she knew about Reno and Ada Bishop… she was gesturing with her hands as she slid about with her number.

 _Five… back… two… top… light-stuff… you?_

I signed back the details. Four men on the bottom floor, two on the second floor. These guys weren't as well packin' as the guys Miam was gonna go deal with. Still we'd need to move fast before green and red bolts started flying.

* * *

 **Miam**

* * *

I could only smile y riendo at those two little niños. Playing at things rather than tomándolo and realizing it! But alas, I like them when I was their age. They make me laugh! Let them play, que tengan su lenta diversion, they'll come to it soon enough.

 _"I'm sorry, miss,"_ un hombre de negro spoke as I neared the foot of the stairs, breaking me from mis pensamientos, _"but I'm afraid you'll have to return to the dance floor."_

 _"Oh, I don't think so,"_ I smiled, my eyes wide con deslumbramiento, as I leaned in closer and closer, _"you see, I'm a little lost,_ _gran chico, and,"_ I stroked my hand through his hair, up to his nose that I could feel his surprised breath, whispering, _"y yo… could use some help."_

 _"Oh,"_ he chuckled. I felt his hand trace around my middle, closing over my back, _"well, I could certainly—"_

My knife went through his lower ribs, puncturing his corazón. His eyes went wide, his breath hot and brief… y estaba frío como la muerte. I shifted his body around, planting him into a chair. Un nino gave me a look. I simply smiled.

 _"Could you look after mi amigo? He's dead tired."_

I was up the stairs before he could ask. I had business with cinco hombres muertos. My hands felt for the H&K, and my feet mounted the threshold.

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

It had taken us a few minutes of tip-toeing around, but we—well, Gideon really—found what we were looking for. I'm not sure why they have a kitchen in a basement. But the white washed room was stained like it hadn't been cleaned in years. Regardless, Gideon quickly stormed in. He started filtering through cabinets like a tornado after Dorothy, and I cringed a little at the racket he was making.

After a few seconds, he had a salt bag planted on the table and he started going through the rest of the room. Me? I just did the obvious. I went for the Gaslamp, and started pulling on that thread until I found a can. From the sounds of it, there wasn't much left, but considering we're about to set a ragdoll on fire… well, I don't think we'll need much.

Then a second later he plucked it from my hands, and started tossing ingredients into a pan.

 _"So…"_ I mused softly, _"care to fill me in on what's go on? I am a little fascinated by all the supernatural stuff going on after all."_

He looked my way and grunted softly:

" _Do you want the short answer or the long one?"_

 _"Which do you prefer?"_

 _"Well,"_ he replied with a chuckle, _"voodoo's very,_ _ **very**_ _old black magic. So, it has a few specific rules, and a few counters."_

 _"Like condiments?"_

He chuckled.

 _"Maybe, but salt is one of the purest substances on the planet… well, what's left of it, and can be used to preserve… well, just about everything. It's like acid for the undead."_

 _"Undead? Gideon, I realize my understand of this hibbie-jibbies stuff is limited at best, but it's just a doll!"_

He looked at me like I'd said something so stupid he'd considering going a thousand miles away in the exact opposite direction. He sighed, and shook his head wearily.

 _"V… it's not a doll. It's an avatar."_

 _"An avatar?"_

 _"You ever see the Exorcist?"_

 _"Um, yeah, a girl gets possessed by a demon?"_

 _"Well, imagine this doll is the girl. You see, this thing is like a prison. When Gloria did all her mumbo-jumbo, it attracted something dark and twisted, and then proceeded to trap it inside."_

 _"And freeing it is a good idea?"_

 _"Well, not if you're Gloria. The salt will remove the juju holding it in place, and the flames will destroy the rest. Match?"_

 _"Um… oh, here it is."_

Before I could even get it off the table he had in his hand and lighted.

 _"Um… are you sure about this?"_

 _"Not really,"_ he grimaced, _"but I'm sick of this doll."_

Then he dropped the match… and I had to cover my eyes when a bright red light came out of nowhere, and I landed on my ass! I coughed heavily… this place smelled worse than Lorenzo on cooking night. And when I opened my eyes, the place was filled with red smoke! Then I heard it. Laughter.

 _"Hhh… heh heh heh ha ha ha ha!"_

It sounded… demented. Crazy. When I opened my eyes… oh god. Oh god! It was like a scarlet colored ghost, twisted and swirling… with eyes of solid gold.

And… it was looking at me!

 _"Hhh…"_ it breathed… it was… it was coming at me, _"freeeeeee…"_

I started crawling away, trying to get away from this thing! It reached out for me and I shrieked:

 _"Gideon!"_

 _"Hey!"_

We both turned and I was suddenly covered in salt! The thing screamed, and it was burning! Smoke was coming off of it… and the air smelled like sulfur. Gideon suddenly stepped between us, the bag of salt held firmly in his hands. It screeched like a banshee, and charged him!

 _"Back off, spooky!"_

He tossed more salt at it and it cowered, cradling on the floor; mewling. Gideon then approached it, the bag held high like he was going to dunk it. He then bellowed at it:

 _"Listen up, you freaky little bastard! We didn't put you in that doll! Gloria Van Graff did!"_

 _"Hhh… Glow-re-aaaaaahhhhh?"_

 _"Yeah, that's right! So why don't you go bug her instead, and leave us alone!"_

The specter rose, towering over Gideon… it nodded?

 _"Hhh… agreeeeeeed."_

Then it filtered up through the vent and it was gone.

 _"That,"_ I panted, my eyes wide… oh god, I think… I'm soaked to the bone, _"that… that..."_

 _"Yeah,"_ he panted back, a hand swiping across his brow, _"first time always scares the shit out of you."_

 _"First time!?"_ I shook my head at him, _"I think I'm gonna stop tagging with you! You're way too scary!"_

 _"Heh,"_ he chuckled, pulling me to my feet, _"I wouldn't blame you if you did. Me and bad juju seem to be on a first name basis."_

What's that expression? Out of the frying pan, into the fire? Because we could hear a lot of boots coming our way. I groaned as I buried my face in my hands:

 _"Could you guys have not shown up like fifteen seconds ago!?"_

 _"When has anything been that easy, V? Run!"_

* * *

 **Wade**

* * *

It'd been a good five minutes now. Trust me, even travelling crisscross the damn continent, gettin' chased and shot at by Raiders and Tin-Can Zealots for good measure, and going through Cortez's boot doesn't prepare you for non-stop numbers! My legs were burning by the change in the song. But y'know what's worse? Illie ain't even fazed!

I think I'm startin' to get scared. I was starting to pant, and you could hear it even through my mask. I looked up an' I saw her scowl-smirk me.

 _"What's the matter, brat? Can't keep your two right feet going?"_

 _"Don't make me give you a lesson in cutlery, ikway!"_

 _"Oh, scary big man and his big kitchen knife,"_ she laughed in my face, and I was startin' to get red, _"come close to me with that, and I'll butter your hide with it!"_

 _"An' I wager I'll be delicious! Want a taste?"_

 _"Classy._ _ **Real classy**_ _there, Wade."_

 _"Learned from the best."_

 _"Oh shut up, brat!"_

Then the song changed again to something a bit softer. Bit more slow jazz than club-house rock. Trust me, my legs are relieved for this change in pace. And, me being me, I followed the tradition of the club about and took the opportunity to get a bit closer to Illie. She craned her head and scowl-smirked me.

She's so damn cute when she annoyed. Course, didn't lead with that. I just gestured to the crowds, and she just shook her head. Soon enough? We were playing one-foot tango in step with one another, she getting down and doin' stunning moves with her legs, her hands tracing over her thighs.

My eyes traced up and I got a good readin' on the guys above us. So far, same pattern. Now, what about the Miam's guys? As Illie came back up, I took her by the back and spun around in step. Was sure she was gonna slug me for that, but her eyes went to the back too.

" _Go ahead, you've… taken me down now! "_

Miam was about fifteen seconds from letting Heckler and Koch do the talking.

" _Give me, give me, give me, give me what you don't know! "_

I looked up left, an' they had the same idea too. And considerin' how tense Illie just got on me: her end must be following suit.

" _Go ahead, take me all out now! "_

" _O.K. Corral,"_ she whispered in my ear. I felt her hand going under her cloak.

" _Tombstone."_

" _Get this, get this into your game! "_

My hands closed around the Twelve-Sevens, my fingers easin' over the familiar polymer as my eyes traced Miam's hands and cloak going flying.

" _You got me in a heading drop! "_

The MP-5 was in hand. Tangos were movin'.

" _I never wanna come off! "_

Illie broke from me. Her .357 was out like a coilin' snake.

" _You got me with your beat of love! "_

My hands went straight up, and twisted forward at the elbows, the familiar weights coming to bear.

" _I never wanna come out! "_

Their coats were movin', their plasma's coming out. My eye traced left.

" _Think… of me! "_

They were turning. The MP-5 was braced against her hip.

" _I'll never break your heart! "_

And the world went out in an explosion.

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

We took a turn at a run and found ourselves at the end of a long hallway with no door. Why are there always these convenient dead ends when you're being chased by badguys? Wait, what the hell is that noise?

 _"Well,"_ Gideon smirked as he looked up at the floor above us, _"guess someone's decided to crash the party."_

 _"Gee, I wonder who."_

Then we heard them coming. We both turned and there were eight men standing at the end of the hall. Now, I realize this is a really, **really** bad situation. But hey! Let's look at the positives.

None of them appeared to have firearms. Okay, sure they have stun batons and the like, but at least we wouldn't get shot down like geckos in a well. I looked over at Gideon, and he looked down at me. With a smile, I asked:

 _"Well? Shall we?"_

 _"Ladies first,"_ he smiled back. I laughed and gestured with my hands, conscious they were now running at us, waving their batons and screaming like goons are ought to do:

 _"Oh please, I insist."_

* * *

 **Wade**

* * *

" _Think… of me! You're always… in the dark! "_

Time has a habit of slowin' down in a fight. I'm not sure why exactly that is. Once, some Scribe explained it was because in a do-or-die situation, your brain becomes fully aware. Fully alert, no distractions. All synapses firin', you understand?

The result was that as I was flying forward in a roll, practically swimming through this screamin' crowd of folks, I could see green blobs coming down at me in almost perfect slow motion. The good news for me was that plasma bolts move far slower than bullets, which meant you always have to lead with a moving target. The bad news was that it was going to land where I was standin' less than a few seconds prior.

" _I am your light, your light, your light! "_

When my back turned and I was on my feet, I was greeted with the sight of kids suddenly encased in an aura of bright green energy. In the splitsecond that followed, their skeleton was highlighted; their scream piercin' and brief as they reached for the heavens. Only for them to then slide down and melt like ice into a gooey, florescent puddle.

" _Motherfuckers."_

" _Think… of me! "_

All I could think was that village outside of Chicago. The people marched out to get shot down like rats, their ashes the only thing left over, and even then a mere moment before gettin' blown into the wind to join the rest in the forsaken land. My response was to open fire with the Twelve Sevens, putting new holes into the balcony an' force these jackasses to move.

" _You're never… in the dark! "_

However, all I had to do was just follow. You see, this building was built some two hundred years ago. Sure, great condition and all that, but balcony floors are not bullet proof. Watching them retreat back gave me a pretty good idea where they were going to be in the next five or so seconds. All I had to do was start firing into the floor above me, and from the sudden _thumb_ that followed, I knew that I hit something.

Now, it's harder than hell to hear anything in this place, but these guys are as subtle as a pissed-off Mirelurk going at full room for your face. I opened fire on the stairwell in front of me, the high caliber rounds ripping new ones into the cheap walls as I moved upward. Unfortunately, these guns only pack exactly seven rounds each, so I went dry in about as many seconds. I had another problem though. I was suddenly on my face, a sudden and terrible heat in my back like someone sticking a five-minute-going iron right under my shoulder blade.

I knew exactly where it had come from. When this is over, Illie will need to answer for her sudden downtempo approach to gunfighting. I looked up and they were coming down. I gritted my teeth, and started rolling. I could actually smell, much less hear or see, the incoming plasma bolts that were either hitting behind me, or to the sides of me.

The good news was that a whole lot of folks decided to volunteer to be my meatshields, running and bumping and generally givin' me the time to vault over a bar counter. When my ass hit the ground, my first move was slip new mags into my handguns. The second was to reach behind my back, and feel where the bolt had hit me. My hand, even with my gloves on, recoiled from the heat coming from there. I just gritted my teeth, and felt again, relieved that it didn't seem like the ceramic-steel plate had melted all that much.

A lesson learned from tangoing with the boys of Bunker Alpha: if you want to penetrate armor, you bring bullets. Because energy is shit against reactive armor plating… well, unless you bury them under so much Gatling fire they light up like a frickin' candle. Case in point, I could feel and smell fresh bolts burning into the hard oak covering my ass. Now, considering the rate of the bolts and the second delay between them, I was able to time their pace and just when they'd get their sorry asses over here. I held the Twelve-Seven at the ready, and waited.

" _Now that I'm… making this all up! "_

And in about six seconds or so, I had me a face peeking over the counter. In another, that face got a copper leaded present. As he started to slump over, I rose and grabbed him by the collar; just in time for another bolt to smack him in the back, followed by another. I swung over, putting exactly three rounds into the guy on my right. Now it was time to do the same for his budd—

" _Oh god."_

Before I knew it, the body suddenly shined bright and crumbled into plasma discharge, all in slow motion. I realized my hand, hopin' beyond hope. But I knew… knew as the the prickle of my skin felt the tinges of heat… I knew. I fucked up.

" _AHHH! JESU-AGH!"_

I crumpled to the floor, my hand clutching… clutching m-mmmy a-aarm! And all I could do was scream!

" _Ohhhh... f-ffuuuu—"_

I could smell my flesh burning. Feel the green blobs on m-mmmy arm… e-eeaat through my skin. Smoke was trailing… I could see black… my hand ripped at the glove… at the sleeve… t-tttearing it away! I-it was still… eating through!

" _F-fffuuu…"_

I reached for the knife… jabbed it through the muscle… c-ccaan't let it get to the bone… can't let it… started digging. Started cutting. Started slashing till the frying… bit was out… c-ccan't f-ffeel… can't feel. Darkness hit me… cold… warm… can't… STAY AWAKE! Gotta cut it out!

Went to arm… working… too late. Could see bone! Started working—

" _Ohhh g-gggod… oh, g-god!"_

Heard it. Heard the _shlop_. Saw the burning mess on the floor… n-nnot enough. Arm… useless. Seein'… seeing white… stay awake! Gotta… gotta stay awake! Can't… can't…

" _Let me, let me, let me, let me into your know! "_

Med-kit. Could see it. G-gggotta hurry. Grabbed it… ripped it open… Med-X! Gotta… gotta… Breathe… just breathe.

Feeling cold. Needle went in… _hiss!_ Felt cold again… felt warm, felt like a hot tub… pain… The pain... the pain was still there, but it was… lessened… throbbing… I can manage. Now I could hear the steady _thwaps_ hitting the wood, and I could feel the vibrations in the floor.

I knew the jackass was still shooting at me. But also knew… plasma cartridges got only twelve bolts unless you… mess with it. Didn't look like he did… and I was right. Two more _thwaps_ , two more ash smellin' burnt… and I heard the loud _shlink!_ I rose, Sig-Sauer held in my one good... only good hand. Look up, saw me… saw my eyes.

" _Motherfucker."_

His nose went with his head. I dropped to my knees… even morphine… can still feel it. Gotta manage, gotta dress it. Looked up… saw the jug. Grabbed it, started dumping cold water on the burns. I hissed, but my teeth took care of the rest... felt blood comin' from my lip… That's fine, I can take it.

" _You got me in your open hand! "_

Cold should drop the temperature… buy my arm some time. Opened up the med-kit again, removed the disinfectant. Can't let it go septic, gotta kill the stuff… keep it covered. White powder over the burns, followed by the bandages… and I was one-tenth mummy! Can't lose my sense of humor… helps take your mind off things.

" _I never wanna come back! "_

Things were starting to feel woozy, going lazy town… good slapped to the face solved that. Gotta focus… gotta hold it in… badguys still to kill. But first, gotta secure the arm. Little piece from cloak made a nice sling, nice and tight… I rose to my feet. Why was everything moving?

Fell to the counter… things getting hazy… no! Focus, damnit!

" _Finish… the mission!"_

Slap did some wonders… felt a fresh throb in my temple, but I'm fine with that. Hey, ever hear of the guy from one-armed ass kicking contest? Well, I'm gonna make him blush today. A fresh mag for the Twelve-Seven, and I was good to go. Seven rounds so let's make them count, shall we?

" _How do we let you never found? "_

Ah, stairs. The great vertical coffin. I really should've brought grenades. I then heard movement upstairs. Only one way to do this.

I started running up and firing.

 _One,_ my brain kept count, _two._

Rounds pinged off the metal going up. Tango above me fired. I ducked, the bolt hitting the wall above as I fired off.

 _Three._

The 12.7mm round struck him in the knee with loud _plop_ , dropping him down with a scream.

 _Four._

I shot him directly in the chest, causing him to drop back.

 _Five._

And one to the head for good measure. Now… needed to move, and fast. I rolled up through the stairs... duckin' tables… duckin' greens bolts… just duckin' things in general. Two thumps at a time. Two tangoes, two bullets.

'kay… challenge accepted. Rose slightly… got a look 'fore duckin' again. One far left… coming my way. One ahead… covering behind a pillar. I'll get him last.

Faster _thwaps_ … keep coming. Getting… bored over here

" _You know it's gonna come out! "_

Dropped to the floor… kicked the table out. Sure enough, left guy dropped over and I gave him cranial redecoration.

 _Six._

Rolled forward, got to the pillar as the other guy started shooting. Hit the pillar… gave him a good kick. Weapon went flying; he went to the banister. One look, and his face went out like red chowder.

 _Seven._

Challenge complete. Now… where's my prize? Where's… heh, where's my woman? Oh, there she is.

" _Think… of me! "_

Could hear going down. Could see Illie… cross the way… back against the wall, four goons on her. No time to reload. Took out the second, steadied as best I could. I took single shots… missed twice… got a headshot on the third, though.

Now they saw me and started shooting. Good. Illie, you have your opening. Ducked… I heard the high-pitched war cry, fast and rhythmic like a war drum. I looked across, and the Tomahawk was out.

" _I'll never break your heart! "_

She tackled them… got into them… hacking and screaming as limbs and heads started flying.

" _Think… of me! You're always in the dark! "_

" _Well, well,"_ voice… deep and bassy chuckled… behind me, _"that is one crazy woman. Shame she's over there and not here. And shame for you, too. Shame that I just happen to come back, too."_

" _Yeah… fat lot of shame."_

Spun… handgun pressed against my chest… tried to get a shot off. Too late. Too fuckin' slow. Big gorilla hands took hold of mine, and the pistol went flying. Hand was on my throat… squeezing… could feel the banister against my back… now I was facing the dance floor.

" _You,"_ he hissed in my face, hot spittle hitting my cheek, _"come to_ _ **my**_ _house, and start shooting it up!?"_

" _Heh,"_ shit-grin coming right up, _"place… was a dump… to begin with."_

" _Yeah?"_ hand tightening… moving up… can't touch the floor, _"Well, fuck you too!"_

And then I was Superman… up until I crashed through the door.

" _Where you goin', boy? We're just gettin' started!"_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I've had it. I've had it with these voodoo spewing, death worshipping jackasses! And just about every other thing in this goddamn wasteland that's been trying to kill me this last month! So bring it on, I'm right here!

" _Get 'em! Bosses want 'em alive!"_

The air crackled with ozone as their batons came to life with electrical discharge, the ground vibrating with the rampage of heavy boots, the walls reverberating their hollering and screaming bloody murder. Well, there's only one way to stop a runaway bull like this: head on! I took off like a rocket, the baton tight in my hand and Veronica at my back. With a roar, the man in the lead raised his club, and I responded by tackling straight into him, lifting him by the legs as I used him to bulldoze my way through my way through his buddies. I swung right as one had the idea of jumping out of the way, smashing his teeth and face in a sudden blue arcing explosion.

I then heard the round of rubber on metal on my left. Veronica jumped to the wall, using it as a spring board as she delivered a vicious spinning hook kick that sent her target careening into the floor. She followed the momentum, rolling across the floor and coming up with the baton crackling to life. On her knees, she struck a man hard in the groin and followed up with an upper cut that sent the man, and his jaw, flying. Now, more were coming my way.

With a roar, I lifted my meat shield high above my head, and hand over hand tossed him right into the lot of them, crumbling them like bowling pins. One jumped over the rest, but he quickly joined them as I delivered a push kick straight into his chest. Veronica was moving like flowing water through the masses surrounding her: raining in thunderously quick punches, kicks and bludgeons in a shower of white and blue while effortlessly—almost inhumanly—dodging their strikes like they were fighting mist. The sounds of boots broke my concentration. One came swinging at me, and I moved to parry in quick recession before I launched him behind me with an elbow to his head.

I quickly charged the second, trapping his striking hand as my knee smashed into his groin before I used his trapped hand to leverage his face in. It exploded in a shower of mire and broken teeth as my knee did its grizzled work. As I quickly finished him off with a club strike, the other three were on me. Speed and first reaction were my allies, so I made good use of them. I ducked low, dodging a strike and retaliating with my own to his gut before quickly smacking him upside the head.

The second swung, and I tagged him in his fighting arm. As he dropped the weapon with a scream, I silenced him with thrust to the mouth and followed up with an axe strike right to skull. Then I felt a hot sudden pain like lightning striking me in my shoulder. As I recoiled, my world went black and white with red all over as I took a head to the side of the head. As I dropped, my first instinct was to grab onto my attacker's shirt and drag him down with me.

As he came down, my knees were planted against my chest, and I sent him over me. I followed with the motion, slamming my baton in an explosion of ozone and heat until he was lights out. A split second later, a guy was flying over me and he hit the wall with a _crash!_ I looked right just in time for Veronica to sweep a guy off his feet with a kick before shooting forward with a masterfully performed hook strike. Her steel toe boot contacted with his head, and sent him colliding into the wall scalp first.

A third man rose, baton in hand and I made ready to tackle him. Veronica however, beat me to the literally punch. The spot where she'd dispatched me when we sparred suddenly ached with remembered pain as he quickly received a good dose of it. However, unlike me, he went down without even a breath on his lips and his eyes suddenly frozen in perfect still pain. As he hit the floor, two more goons were coming up behind her.

I threw the baton with pin-point accuracy, striking one in the face before I was off the floor and leading with a kick for his buddy. He however, was ready for me, and I was not when he ducked under my kick and took me down with a tackle. My back buckled with sudden fire, but my arm shot out to trap his fighting arm. A moment later, a boot flattened his face and as he fell back, Veronica struck his knee with a kick. As He screamed and dropped like a bag of potatoes, she had his arm clenched in her hands.

She yanked it back as he struck his spine with a kick, and with the following _krack_ I knew it'd been dislocated. A moment later and a discharge of electricity he was as cold as the floor he was on. Then before I could move, one last sonovabitch struck her from behind with his baton. I launched myself at him, hitting him with gut shot before opening up a haymaker that sent him spinning and straight into Veronica's roundhouse. He practically spun in the air as he hit the floor face first with loud _splat!_

He did not get up.

" _That was fun!"_ Veronica laughed cheekily, _"We should do that more often! Maybe even start a dojo!"_

" _Nah,"_ I chuckled back, _"I prefer my training down in the dirt and noise, thank you very much. Now, let's go get the others."_

* * *

 **Wade**

* * *

Fighting him was like fighting a pissed off bull. Bigger… stronger… heavier… and I only had one arm to fight with. Kept trying to block, get some distance with a kick… but he just kept coming! The haymakers felt like getting hit by bricks… funny cartoon animals dancing around my head. Dancing… losing conscience…

 _"Ha ha ha! Now, I know there's a man out there who's gonna beat me… eventually!"_

My nose exploded… went flying into a shelf-case.

 _"But you my man, ain't that man!"_

I spat out blood… smirked at him. You know me. Can't let 'em have the last word.

 _"Oh, I'm that man! I'm the one-armed man who's gonna kick your ass!"_

 _"Ha ha ha! You funny, little man!"_

He swung another haymaker, but I meet it with an elbow. Got knocked down, but's that okay. Gave me the opportunity to shin kick him.

" _Gah! Ton petit bâtard!"_ he hobbled on one foot, _"That actually hurt!"_

" _Good."_

My boot met his chest and he went flying for a paint cabinet. Now… gotta close the distance. Get Masayoshi… take his head off. Too late. The paint can hit me hard in the shoulder, and then he had me by both shoulders.

I was flying a second later… bleeding on the floor again. Now I had leprechauns and unicorns and other weird shit doing jigs in front of me. Then a boot hit my face… mask went flying. World was going dark out of nowhere.

" _Ha ha ha! Ah, didn't realize I was beating in such a pretty little face! Here, let me help you up!"_

Now I was off the floor again… dangling… big hands on my lapels. Smirking fuckin' gorilla man laughing in my face. Smirked… nice and close now.

 _"And here I was thinkin' you'd be givin' me a good fight, masked man. Evidently not—"_

 _"Fuck you!"_

My forehead smashed into his… got revenge for my nose as I broke his. Now he was open… and I haymade him with everything I had. Still felt like hitting a stone wall, but hey it's an improvement. Finally floored him to his knees, and Masayoshi swung silver from her sheath. He screamed as it went through his shoulder… across the chest… gotta finish this.

My blade sung a death note as I lunged, prepared to bury it up to the hilt… oh hell.

 _"Heh,"_ he had my blade in both hands, blood dripping… still laughing, _"you went all old school on me! You're pretty good… but not good enough!"_

The backhand felt like a Bighorner, but Masayoshi remained firm in my hand. I righted myself… got back to proper place.

 _"Alright, frère. Let's see what you can do with that…"_

Looked up, and he had a long steel pipe in hand pointed at me.

 _"…against this!"_

He charged… and I smiled. Went for it. Flashes of silver and sparks danced about the room. Recoil heavy in hand… need both to properly use her, but I can manage. 'Sides, ain't his field of expertise. Flash of red against the arm… the leg… aw, fuck! Hit the ground as hit me across the shoulder… got me in my limp arm.

 _"Bastard!"_

Now I was pissed! I hit him with everything, and I mean **everything!** I swung hard… long… quick! Slashed him across the cheek… pipe went flying. Got him with a kick and he went into another paint cabinet… except this one exploded on him! Turned into a giant blob of every possible color you could imagine!

Yeah, you better believe I laughed my ass off. Stupid. Should've finished him off. 'Cause now he was mean and pissed off now!

 _"That… that was my favorite suit you just ruined!"_

Now he was flying at me. Paint cans in either hand… too fast… feral. Getting broadsided… can't… gah! World went red as I took one across the face… then to the knee… haymaked again. Masayoshi went flying… started rolling down the stairs.

Tried to get up… fists started hitting me… lost track of how many. Just one after another… fuck, why can't I just black out already!?

" _Imbécile! Told you… you ain't the one!"_

A door exploded behind me as I went flying through it.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _C'mon, man, I got you,"_ I grunted as I shifted Boone across my shoulder, _"just take it a step at a time. That's it."_

They really did a number on him. He was broken and battered to the point he couldn't walk without collapsing into a heap, and even like this he was having a hard time trying to stay conscience. Just gotta keep him talking.

 _"We'll get you to a nice bed. Good pillows, cold beer…"_ I smiled as I added, _"have V read you a bedtime story."_

Felt the weight shift in my should, and the ghost of a smile passed by his lips.

 _"You…"_ he groaned softly, _"make… lousy… nurse."_

I smirked down at him:

 _"Oh? Would you like me to drop you? There's a nice garbage dump just over there. Make you nice and comfy."_

 _"Fuck… you."_

 _"Buy me dinner first."_

 _"Broke… more ways… than… one."_

 _"Heh, you and me both, man."_

Right now, we needed to find Cass, but that was proving easier said than done! Whole place felt like a damn maze. Twice, V got turned around and we had to back track. Right about then, the weight on my shoulder went slack and a little heavier. I was only really surprised it didn't take him longer.

 _"So, V,"_ I grunted as I readjusted him, _"how'd you find me in the first place? Hell, how'd you even get out of your cell?"_

She smiled at me in the gloom.

 _"Our_ _ **friend**_ _helped."_

 _"Well,"_ I chuckled softly, _"this is turning into the strangest night I've had in years."_

 _"Yeah, especially Mister Goldeneye-Ghost-Thingie back there. You're sure he won't—"_

 _"Nope. Didn't put him in that doll after all... though the one who did—"_

 _"Good,"_ she snorted, her eyes suddenly taking a vindictive shine to them, _"I hope he tears Gloria up a little. Granted, wouldn't mind if he left some for me."_

Understand this, Veronica is the most cheerful person I've ever met. In fact, it almost borders on something mentally wrong. But this… her being not just angry but vengeful? That **truly** scares me.

" _Well, can't really blame you."_

 _"Wait,"_ she held up her hand, _"did you hear that?"_

 _"What—"_

Then I heard it. Screaming. No, wailing. Like… she was crying. Oh no.

 _"Cass!"_ V cried when we got to the door, quickly working through the locks, _"Hang on, we're gonna get you out!"_

There was no response. The door swung open, and what beckoned us was a room darker than night; the light like a foreign invader in a strange land.

 _"Cass? Cass, it's us!"_

As the light creeped in, and the noise carried out, we saw her huddled in a corner in the Fetal position. She cried, and cried, and cried. She was completely oblivious to us.

 _"Cass?"_

As Veronica stepped in, my hand took her by the shoulder. She looked at me strangely, and I gestured to the room.

 _"I know what this is."_

 _"What do you—"_

 _"She's claustrophobic."_

Her hand went to her mouth as she turned back to her:

 _"Oh Jesus."_

Suddenly, Cass looked up at us, her face awashed with tears. But—looking into those eyes—I don't think she was seeing us.

" _V-vvvv…"_

 _"Cass?"_

 _"V-vvvanessa… I'm so sorry. So… s-ssso sorry."_

 _"Vanessa?"_ Veronica asked perplexed, reaching her hand out to her, _"Cass, it's Veronica."_

 _"V, wait!"_

Suddenly Cass lashed out at her, pouncing and tearing into her like a feral cat:

 _"You took her from me!"_ she screamed as she clawed and tore away at her, _"You won't take me too!"_

 _"Cass, stop!"_ Veronica screamed as she tried to hold off the envoy of blows raining down on her, _"Stop, it's me!"_

Boone was off my shoulder in a heartbeat, and in another, I was on her. My arms took her by the middle as I yanked her off the ground, and off Veronica:

 _"Damnit, Cass! Stop this!"_

 _"Get away!"_ she screamed as she writhed in my hands like a wolverine, _"Get away from me, you pale fuckers! You fuckin' savages! You killed her!"_

Pale savages? Oh, no. White Legs.

 _"You killed her! You killed her!"_

Pain suddenly shot from my knee and I fell to the floor, taking Cass with me. And then she was on me. She ripped into me, making even Gloria pale in comparison. For what I saw here wasn't Cass. It was like looking into the heart of a forge, burning hotter than the stars, taken on human form.

 _"I'll kill you! I'll kill—"_

Strong hands took hold of her, and within a blink of an eye, Veronica had her in a rear naked choke. Long seconds passed as she fought tooth and nail, but V refused to budge even an inch. And in time, she went limp.

 _"Geez,"_ V panted as she dislodged from Cass, _"remind me not to piss her off!"_

 _"You're telling me,"_ I groaned as I rose to my feet. Oh yeah… I'm gonna be sore in the morning, _"still gonna have to carry her. I leave that to you."_

 _"I'll take that over dealing with a crazy red-haired badger-lady,"_ she chuckled as she took her by the shoulder and followed me out the room.

 _"Gideon?"_

 _"Hmm?"_

I turned to face her and what I got was something genuinely scared. Well, worried—maybe haunted—than truly scared. But still, it was there. And when her eyes darted to her passenger, it was grim as a nameless tombstone.

 _"She… Cass, called me Vanessa back there… and she tried to rip our faces off for it. You wouldn't—"_

 _"No,"_ I shook my head, _"but I can guess—"_

Suddenly, there was a loud crash and two men came screaming and kicking out into the hallway. In a clatter, they managed to make a general mess of the place with the clatter of falling shelves, barrels, and other items of interest. The bulblight at the end of the hallway ripped from its harness on the ceiling, swinging wildly as a loud _crash_ reported loudly. In the gloom, I could see the outline of the two men: one strangling the other as he was lifted off the ground. The shifting light, and the ensuing chaos had made pretty much impossible to tell who they were, or if I should care that they were killing each other.

That changed when one of them spoke:

 _"I told_ _ **you**_ _! You ain't the man to bring me down!"_

The gorilla man. Then who the hell is—I'm not sure what is was. The shift in the air, a sudden indiscernible sound that only I could hear, or perhaps some undecided sixth sense that prickles at your short hairs. Regardless, something made me turn. Something made the world slow to a near crawl.

Something. For in those precious few moments, Veronica was in the wind. Her hands firm in fists, her posture like some Olympian at full race; the muscles along her powerful frame taut and held like a sudden explosion about to erupt. For when your eyes traced up to her face… it was wrath. Wrath set in a snarl, hair flowing back in a maddened sprawl, eyes ablaze with single intention of purpose.

Kill.

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

Ramos's words rang through my head.

" _Anger is a powerful weapon, Veronica. Rage: the spark of pure and utter destruction. But it is also something to be spent wisely. Never to be used frugally, or without discipline. Pick the moment, Veronica. At your most desperate hour. Pick it… and unleash it."_

Well… I've chosen my moment. Everything became silent. Everything became still. Even the air seemed frozen as the time around me. That's just fine by me.

" _Now why don't you do me the favor of dy—"_

I saw him turn. See him see me. See him move—muscle by muscle—in response. Like tuned motors going their fastest. Just… not fast enough.

I breathed in the air; let it fill me up, let my body bathe in the dancing fire. I opened my eyes, and I struck. He screamed as my fist smashed into the subcostal nerve, just above his lower back. Spittle shot from his gaping mouth, his body buckled as no doubt hot fire raged up throughout the left side of his torso. Good… because we're just getting started.

I started moving up. The intercostal nerve, the lumbar plexus… so many places to choose. So many to hurt you with. Why don't we try them all? Soon enough, I stopped carrying and just sink my fist into wherever they took me.

His screams, his body convulsing, his movements slack and frozen were indicators it was doing a fun enough job regardless. Oh, you're going to take a swing at me? Well, that's just fine. I'll just use it as my step ladder. But first, I think I'm going to break your knee.

I dropped, and smashed my fist through the inside of his meniscus. His leg twisted inward, the _crack_ resounding. I frowned. No, not quite broken, dislocated from the angle and pressure. I need practice.

Now, hold out your arm. I used it to the leap above him, and when I came down, my fist found his nose. Now, the sound of his cartilage shattering and the sudden hot sticky blood on my hand and arm? That was deeply satisfying. Now roll with the motion of his body and come up behind him.

Good. Now, deliver a kick to his genitofemorial. Ooh, that's going to hurt. Now how's your head doing? My boot to the back of it soon answer that, and it soon went through a sheen of glass. Hmm, you're going to have some new scars on your face… I think it suits you.

Now, how about we go into the room? I grabbed him by the shoulder, and his groin became a nice jello pile. Not so proud of it, are we? As he hobbled, I prevented him from collapsing by giving him a nice push kick that sent him crashing through the glass. Hey, we're do you think you're going?

Oh, so this is a booze storage, huh? Well, you're sufficiently soaked, aren't you? Down there on the ground amid the broken glass and stinking moonshine and offer shit you given to kids too young for it. Well, I think you could use another drink. Here, how about a nice kick into that cabinet?

Hmm, I don't think it's enough. Not just what your sister did to me, and Gideon. But what you did to Cass. And to Boone...

" _Oh, perfect."_

There was a fuse box. I quickly ripped the panel open and I had so many fuses to choose from. Ah, but let's pick one that doesn't shock you first, eh Veronica? Ah, here we go.

" _You know, you seem to have electroshock therapy down to such a fine art."_

I ripped the fuse out and I still had a nice ten-foot length, plus a good amount of charge left over. Sure, the main light went out and the room bathed red like some nightmare movie. But it'll do just better.

" _I mean, you handled it so well that even I got broken by it. Shocking, right?"_

He was on his knees, looking up at me with bloodied eyes. Desperate. Pleading. That's cute.

" _So, care to have a taste of your own medicine, doctor?"_

I dropped the fuse. He reached out for it. But he wouldn't reach it. His scream confirmed that. He shot from the ground in an ozone explosion like big floppy fish, complete with the actual _flop_ sound as he hit the floor on the other side of the room.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

Holy shit.

 _"Y'know… I take it back."_

I turned to the speaker; collapsed against the wall, huffing and puffing weakly.

 _"Gettin' your…"_ he groaned as he tried to sit up, _"ass kicked by a girl? That's worse… than… gah… by… uh… one-armed smartass."_

Glass crackled and crunched behind me as Veronica moved up next to me.

" _Well, one-armed smartass, just who are you?"_

" _Oh, y'know… just your… friendly neighborhood—"_

" _Wait a second,"_ the light shine bright… and I saw his face, _"you're that kid! The clumsy kid from King's Street!"_

" _What?"_ he grinned at me with mouth of bloody teeth. I released Boone, knowing V would catch him, as I marched up and took this kid by the lapels:

" _Who the hell are you!?"_

" _Look—"_

" _Who sent you!?"_ I practically spat out, _"Why have you been following us!?"_

" _Look,"_ his hand took mine feebly, _"could ya just… gimme a break?"_

" _A break? I don't owe you shit, kiddo."_

" _No,"_ he grinned as he shook his head, _"but been followin' you… while now. You're nice guy. And I've… got the shit kicked out of me… and I'm probably gonna… y'know, lose this arm? So… gimme a break, wouldya?"_

" _Gideon, maybe we should—"_

" _Alright, caballeros,"_ a sharp, Latino female voice took me by surprise, _"put down los_ _sabelotodo_ _and back off."_

I turned my head to see two black dress women holding us at gunpoint, one with a revolver and the other with an H&K. They were wearing masks of somekind. And from the way they were holding themselves: the balance of the weapons in their hands, their rocksteadiness, the proper shooting posture—they were professionals. Professional gunmen? They clearly don't work for any local group I've seen.

They almost looked… military. Veronica quickly read my mind:

" _You're not NCR, are you?"_

" _No,"_ the Latino woman chuckled, _"no, not for a long time, mi querida."_

" _Then just who the hell are you?"_

The shorter of the two women snorted angrily, gesturing with her revolver:

" _We're the ones with guns, and your not. So, I'd suggest ya listen to the lady and put the useless, stupid-as-hell brat down before I come over there and—"_

" _Hey,"_ the _brat_ chuckled softly, _"just take it down a notch. We're… all friends here. Right?"_

I turned around to face him:

" _Friends is a bit of a stretch, kidd—"_

There was a clunk on the floor… and a black cylinder.

" _Oh, come on! Not aga—"_

My sentence was finished when everything went loud and white. I don't know just how long I laid there on the floor. But when I could finally open my eye without everything looking like the bottom of a glass… our 'friends' were gone.

* * *

 **Pacer**

* * *

The duffle bag opened. Air started getting fillin' with slaps of batteries and other techo jumble. The plasma was lighter than I'd give it credit. Sure, prefer good copper over this, but gotta sell what comes later. Now… for the monkey suits, olive tans, an' such.

Jeez, soldier-boys wear this stuff? Almost feel sorry for 'em. Almost. Gave a look around to the boys—boys who knew what true loyalty was—and got the look back.

" _These Cali bastards brought this on themselves. They've rolled everybody else comin' here over and then some. But not here, and not with us. What we do here, we do for Freeside. We do for the kids, the wives and the brothers and all others. We do this for us."_

I knew they knew. But their eyes told me they respected the word regardless.

" _We go in, skirmish line. Fifteen minutes. Shoot many you can, any who come your way. We want to show them they ain't welcome here. Once jig is up and done, leave your guns,"_ I gestured to the two Fiend-fucks, _"dump them. And get out fast."_

They all nodded. They all heard the plan. Good way goin', 'gardless.

" _An' remember—no King speakin'."_


	27. Chapter XXVI: Questionable Ethics

**Chapter XXVI:**

 **Questionable Ethics**

* * *

 **Raul**

* * *

There are signs to chaos. Lo mas obvio, the ones you know from blocks away… the screaming, the terror. Las masas adolescents coming your way, expecting some monstruo de la máscara de hockey to be chasing them with a very big machete. These we found in ample supply as we walked the streets like Dante en el infierno. Los adolescents didn't even pay us a second mind as the waded ridiculously around us… I was tempted to shoot some of these goth, rímel que lleva punks!

I heard the cock of Beatrix's revolver.

 _"Ya better be tellin' the truth, Lenny. 'cause if you ain't… I'm gonna go find me Bighorner. I'll tie you to his horn, and I'll spike him in the ass. Watch 'em drag you on and on until you ain't nothing but hide an' bone."_

I half turned, Beatrix dragging Lenny Canalla, the little rata de Freeside, to the floor; her revolver on su cuero cabelludo. He was battered y bloody. Big welt on his cráneo. Of course, heh, that was only on the **outside**.

 _"Why, lady,"_ the little rata gasped, then he turned and gave mi rosa blanca de Texas a bloody grin, _"'cause the screamin' crowds of dumb teenagers not good enough for ya? Golly, no wonder you never taken us down, you rotten, cold hearted bitch—gah!"_

He cowered on the floor con el resto de la suciedad, his hand cupped bloody around his mouth. I shook my head at this… pedazo de basura. This rata. This escoria!

 _"He got blood on my boots,"_ I winked at mi dulce Beatrix as I knelt before el rata. I pushed La Mano Derecha de Dios against his forehead. I wanted him to see my eyes.

 _"Your madre must never have taught you manners, Canalla. Pero… who would? With a family name like that?"_

Bien. The fury in his eyes. Not so espinoso now, are we, rata? I smiled at him, and pressed the muzzle against his eyebrow.

 _"Pero… I am generous sort. So, I shall teach you. You will address her with politeness, or I'll make you eat your teeth. You will answer her questions both immediately y sin sass, or I'll break your ankles and leave you to hobble. You shall be truthful, at all times, or I'll… well, I'll just kill you,"_ I shrugged despreocupadamente, _"no hassle, no contemplating. Just kill you, y leave your body for some dogs who will no doubt find you delicious. Pero,"_ I pointed at his nose with La Mano Derecha de Dios, _"you can avoid all this. Just be a, uh… Beatrix, help me here."_

 _"Be a good boy."_

 _"Si! Be a good boy. Do you understand?"_

Bien… his eyes are exact where I want them. Conscious of their mortalidad.

 _"Y—yyes."_

 _"Good. Now…_ _ **get up!**_ _"_

I grabbed him and threw him into Beatrix's waiting arms. As she shoved him ahead of us, revólver listo para hacerle muerto, she ushered me over:

 _"I got a bad feelin' I know where we're going."_

 _"Oh?"_

 _"Yup. The Lion's Den."_

 _"Oh, mierda,"_ I shook my head en cansada frustración, _"Van Graff's. Why did it have to be Van Graff's? Those culto pagano! They keep trying to turn me into_ _una rana!"_

 _"Trust me, I know. I ain't in the mood to be a Cheshire Cat… again."_

 _"He he he."_

 _"Hey, what's so funny?"_

 _"Your hairballs."_

 _"Ha. Ha. Ha,"_ she snorted angrily, _"Excuse me, I'm gonna go get my Cat'o'nines."_

 _"No no no,"_ I laughed as I spun her around in my arms like mi pequeña bailarina, _"let's not be so hasty, Kitty. Afterall,"_ I traced my finger over her oh so temblor lips, eyes so emocionado at the presence of… me, _"the night is still young. And there are—"_

 _"Uh uh,"_ she smiled at me oh so astuto, taking my finger like a pointer, _"we have work to do… and your_ _ **friends**_ _to save, remember?"_

 _"Pff, I'm sure they're fine!"_

 _"_ _ **Really**_ _?"_ she grinned like the ascribed Cheshire, _"what, in between here and there, you went and dropped your nuts or somethin'? Hmm, maybe I shouldn't give you this, then."_

And in her hand was a dangling Hex Bag.

 _"I mean, I think you'd be all the more charmin' being a toad, y'know?"_

I raised my… well, don't have an eyebrow anymore, técnicamente, pero I raised it anyway:

 _"Where did you get that?"_

She smiled that devilish connivente smile of hers when I know that she's being a… very, naughty chica.

 _"Oh y'know, tracked down a witch, kicked her hokey ass in Texas Hold 'em… and had her cook me up a few."_

 _"Oooh, was that the… only thing you had her cook up?"_

Oh, the mischievous look! Hmm, maybe I should watch my culo from now on. It might… fall off. Y not from me being over doscientos años, mind you.

 _"May've had her… show me coupla other things."_

 _"Oh? Que?"_

 _"That would be telling, hon."_

 _"Fine."_

I plucked the necklace from her grasp amid her mocking laughter. Aw… I love this woman, do not mistake me… pero, she drives me loco often. And on purpose, tambien. Though… I suppose it's mutual.

As we rounded the corner, the second sign of the chaos presented itself: silence. The grim silence de la Muerte misma.

 _"Nobody at home,"_ Beatrix whispered. I nodded, drawing Los Manos de Dios together, and wrapping the Hex Bag around my neck.

 _"Like una ciudad fantasma."_

 _"Um, if it's all the same with you,"_ el rata croaked, _"I've done my bid. Find your way from here. Now, gonna go and—"_

 _"In front,"_ Beatrix prodded him with her revolver, _"if anybodies catchin' a bullet, it'll be you, you yellow-bellied snitch. Now walk."_

It was another block, and soon another sign. Tres signo. The one closest to muerte. The smell of cordite and burning flesh. Heavy and thick, like overcooked Salisbury Steak.

Y soon after that? A place where Lions roam.

 _"Whoo,"_ Beatrix whistled, _"ain't seen a club like that since—"_

 _"Vault Cuidad, '63."_

 _"Ah yay. Hellfire, it was I reckon."_

 _"Si. You started a riot, remember?"_

 _"Hey! I ain't the one who went and started some Clint Eastwood bullshit draw-off in the damn street!"_

As Gideon would say, I gave her un mierda-eating grin:

 _"Y no la uno who decided to whip that poor, poor fatman on the culo until his skin fell off!"_

 _"What can I say? He wanted to know what being all zombie was like."_

 _"Of course, of course. Pero, there I was, defending your honor."_

Ah, that foxy grin!

 _"And who in the Sam Hill told you my damn honor needed defendin', eh?"_

 _"My hijo, of course. Such a harsh man. He'd haunt me forever—"_

 _"You and your damn tall-tellin'. I reckon you gotta lie to yourself about your true nature, huh?"_

 _"Oh?"_

 _"Simple peasy. You're lonely, you're Ghouly, and you were lookin' to get in my pants."_

 _"All true,"_ I smirked so much, La hermosa dama would die from blushing, _"I would put up with a great pile of mierda to have a chance at these,"_ all so smoothly, I looped my fingers through her belt and gave them a tug. Of course, she had to be la persona desabrida, and play hard-to-get, and push me away with that astuto smile.

 _"That including gettin' ram-rodded and drag about by a three-horn bull like a seasaw in a flea fight?"_

 _"Wicked fun. Can't truly be un vaquero without eh… riding the bull at least once."_

 _"Sure, took me whole 3 flippin' hours to find your sorry, horny ass. What were you… dangling from a cliff or somethin'?"_

 _"Ah, si! Dangling round y round while you, of course, decided eh, milk the moment, as they say."_

 _"Hon, you're awfully quite at bein' a damsel-in-detress."_

 _"Ah, but you didn't say such things the night later. More a matter of fact, you were—"_

 _"Don't you dare!"_

 _"Screaming tu corazón out! 'Oh, Raul! The things you do to me!'"_

 _"You—!"_

 _"Do not deny it, mi amor._ _ **You know it to be true!**_ _"_

 _"Oh, you just crossed the line, Tejada. Now, I'm getting_ _ **The Black Mamba!**_ _Your ass is gonna be mine tonight!"_

I'm feeling a bit… combative.

 _"That is_ _ **if**_ _you have the time, or the consciousness, or even the_ _ **want**_ _to pull out the piel de serpiente."_

 _"Want? What do you mean, want?"_

 _"Simple,"_ I smirked, leaning in oh so close to whisper in her ear, _"you'll be too busy screaming with_ _ **howls of**_ _ **ecstasy**_ _!"_

Now, I may be doscientos años… with some change and with the worst knees and eyes imaginable, pero I have made it my business to always be the fastest draw ever alive. And that translates to dodging una loca senorita haymakers like it is high noon!

 _"Ha ha,"_ I laughed like Zorro, smiling like Banderas with Zeta-Jones trying to kill him, _"is that all you—wait, no no, put the gun away, Beatrix! Put the gun away, that's too much!"_

 _"What? Dodge a punch, dodge a bullet."_

 _"Eh… no. I am certain things do not work that way."_

A few moments later, we had the rata handcuffed to a lightpost… well, what remained of it after doscientos años of being so stubborn. Ah, age.

 _"B-bbut I told you where to go! Ya can't just leave me here!"_

 _"Um, yes we can. Pero… don't worry, we shall be back!"_

 _"And if you happen to have some kinda hideaway on your person, think long and hard and twice before using it. 'Cause that be the case, I will hunt you down and I'll take your tongue as a start. And believe me, twas ol' standard protocol for snitches way back in San Antonio. Ain't nothing like snitches being mute."_

 _"P-pplease you don't understand! You can't leave me here! You can't!"_

 _"Oh, don't worry, pequeno rata,"_ I booped his nose, _"your Tio Raul will be back in no time! I will bring great presents, tambien! Now, Beatrix, my dolce, we have business."_

 _"'bout time."_

And un rata's protests faded into the wind as we drew with the entrance. Which brings us un quarto sign: the smell. The smell of death… y burning flesh.

 _"Looks like we missed the party._

Bodies everywhere. Bullets everywhere. Young, old, goons and teens. And we could see why the stench was muy malo.

 _"Green goop,"_ Beatrix nodded, _"boy's got plasma."_

 _"Had plasma."_

 _"Your friends?"_

 _"Maybe… no."_

 _"Why you say that?"_

 _"Not their style, Beatrix. I've had three gunfights with Gideon y sus compañeros in less than a week. This is too…"_

 _"Loud?"_

 _"Si. Loud. Bombastic. Si… right here,"_ I came to the center of the room, _"this is where it all started."_

 _"See what you mean. Got bullet holes going about a good ol' 75-degree angle… whoever was shootin' was doing so moving."_

 _"Si, holes going down. Heavy caliber, too. What do you think?.44?"_

 _"Uh-uh, bigger. Look here,"_ she plucked a casing off the ground.

 _"Ah, 12.7's. Heavy firepower."_

 _"Heh."_

 _"Que?"_

 _"Got ourselves a cowboy. Look at the pattern. Too wide for single shooting. Boy was duel-wielding."_

 _"Ah."_

He wasn't alone. Other side of the room had .357 right on the floor going straight. This had been a two, at least tres-hombre job. Question was… who?

 _"C'mon, let's find your posse first."_

 _"Shh,"_ I held up a hand, _"tu hear that?"_

 _"Someone's moving,"_ she cocked her Ruger en anticipación, y she pointed up. I nodded.

 _Stay behind. Me,_ I signed, _slow. No noise._

She nodded. We hit the stairs, moving so slow ratones would blush with tails between their legs. No noise. Can't having any groans give us away… well, aside from my aching knees, of course. Pero, this I can control.

A hallway, and then a door to a room. She pointed ahead:

 _Me. Left. You. Right._

I nodded.

 _On tres,_ I mouthed. I gripped the door handle, and she drew ready.

 _Uno. Dos. Tres._

I opened wide and we swarmed in. Of course, it was all inútil. Of course, it was.

 _"Jesus Christ, Raul,"_ jefe shook his head as he holstered those Colt Automáticas of his, _"where the hell did you come from?"_

 _"Nosotros? What about you? And, eh… mierda, what the hell happened to you?"_

 _"It's a long story."_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

Time was not on our side. Every second we wasted here, the closer we got to midnight on the doomsday clock. And unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of a generous author to give us a proper win. So, catching-up was made quick, and to the point.

 _"This is insane,"_ Beatrix practically exploded after I finished explaining the situation, _"no, this is downright nutty with a slice of brahmin-shit, deep fried in worm layered tequila! What in the blazing hell do varmint gundealers get out of starting a damn war in Freeside!? All this is gonna do is get those yahoo soldiers shooting at the wrong people. There ain't no damn profit in this!"_

 _"Maybe that's the point."_

They all looked at me oddly. I just sighed as I started strapping on my holsters and riggings.

 _"I can't prove it, but I've got the feeling there's something more to this than just petty revenge. Someone's making a power play. Somebody wants to frame the King's and get the NCR involved. Someone wants to remove them from the board."_

 _"But Gideon,"_ Veronica shook her head, _"what about the Fiend plant? Besides, if they're captured, this would no doubt lead right back to them."_

 _"Oh no,"_ Raul chuckled softly, _"this is too bien to just pass up. I wager these gatos have something else up their sleeve. Something to, eh… seal the deal, if you understand? And the Van Graff's aren't your casual street punks. No doubt they've got something to cover their respective culos."_

I nodded. But in the back of my mind, a begrudging series of questions started floating around. Who had the most to gain from this? Who had the savvy, and the cold heartedness to pull something like this? Who could pull the right strings to get the Van Graff's to do your own dirty work? Who?

I shook my head; conscious of the constant ticking in the background. _Tick Tock, Tick Tock. People are going to die soon. Tick tock, tick tock. Talk some more, lives are spent._

" _Either way,"_ I sheathed my blade and started loading That Gun, _"we've got two things to do and fast. First, we need to stop Pacer and his men before the idiot starts a war. Second, we need to get to the King and warn him."_

" _Isn't it a bit late for that?"_ Veronica inquired. Beatrix just as quickly beat me to the responsive punch.

" _Hon, when you piss off a bear, only thing gonna stop it is fire. If, and when this blows up, Freeside's gonna need to be ready to fight."_

" _They won't last long,"_ Veronica replied somberly; her eyes somewhere else and her skin turning a ghostly pale, _"nothing provokes the worst in the Republic like vengeance."_

To my surprise, Beatrix didn't even seem fazed by this. She didn't even bother shooting her the unasked question. She just shook her head and countered:

" _Pissed or not, you don't go and tussle with folks with guns lest you're expecting to get licked. And army or not, they ain't looking to go all in till they get all the cards in their hands."_

She eyes her coldly.

" _Tell that to the Brotherhood."_

 _"We're wasting time,"_ I quickly interrupted before this conversation took the wrong way and fast, _"get Cass and Boone to the Followers, then get the King up to speed."_

 _"And you?"_

I loaded the Browning and shoved it into its holster.

 _"I'm going after Pacer."_

 _"Not alone you're not,"_ Raul stepped forward, drawing his Model 29's resolutely, _"someone needs to watch your culo, jefe."_

I looked at Beatrix, and she smiled sagely:

 _"Don't worry your head, hon. 'sides, rude to judge a girl by her age."_

To prove her point, she plucked Boone from her seat; looping his arm over her shoulder.

" _C'mon, hon, we're wasting moonlight."_

I sighed to myself and shook my head as the pair of them took out through the door. How the hell did this go so damn wrong?

" _You okay, boss?"_

I slumped my head and murmured:

" _Do I look okay?"_

" _It's not your fault, boss."_

I looked at him, finding the solemn seriousness I'd only seen in either the best, or worst of times. And maybe because of that, or more likely I'm just too tired to wanna argue, I couldn't find the words to reply. I could only hang my head, and keep loading.

" _Don't do that."_

I looked up at him.

" _Do what?"_

" _Brood,"_ he then took me by the shoulder, looking up at me with those ageless, yet ancient eyes of his… it was like he was speaking to my soul, _"Si, I know how this looks. And I get that it's easy to just hate yourself… but you need to know the hard truth, jefe."_

" _Which is?"_

" _Tu no eres Dios."_

I narrowed my eye.

" _Never thought I was."_

" _Sure you didn't, but that hasn't stopped you from trying to hold the world up by your shoulders."_

" _Yeah, but—"_

He then jutted his finger into my chest.

" _You are just a man, Gideon. Take it from someone who knows. You can't save everyone. You can only do what you can with what is given to you."_

" _What if—"_ I had to look down at the floor to prevent me from choking on my own words, _"what if it's not enough?"_

" _Then you try again, jefe. You try and try until it is done, [one way or another]. Because this,"_ he waved his hand around the room, _"this is something you cannot change. It is something that does not matter. It is done. Siga adelante."_

" _Then what does matter?"_

" _What you do now."_

And what I'm doing now is wasting time. I can settle this shit later. I've got a maniac to stop.

 _"Okay,"_ I nodded as I grabbed the last of my gear from the table, _"we'll go out the back. Quicker that way."_

 _"You got a plan?"_

 _"Yeah."_

I slammed a mag into the Colt and hit the slide release:

" _This."_

* * *

 **Unknown**

* * *

The life of a spy is something… universal. Regardless of the side you find yourself on, the only differences are merely material in nature. The operations are the same. You take your orders from someone sitting quite comfortably in their padded chairs, with their attractive secretaries and their freshly brewed supplements at a moment's whim; hundreds of miles from where you are being sent. You find yourself in exotic places you'd rather be spending frolicking in the warm sun; strong, young hands making you feel rather fuzzy inside with the smoothness to count: instead, slitting the throats of pigs and sheep too slow and complacent to even bother putting up a proper amusement before they bleed themselves dry.

I do not mind death. In fact, I can take great pleasure in it. But therein lies the double equation to it. See, a good death requires a certain level of commitment from both parties. An eager assassin, and a determined target can make for **very** amusing pleasures. And sometimes such events can lead to **other** pleasures. Especially in the hands of a man, or even woman, who knows what they're doing.

Such a thing has happened to me from time to time, and why not take advantage of such benefits? Afterall, what is life without passionate memories? Even now, thinking about such things can make me feel a degree of wooziness. Though, I have found nostalgia to be nothing short of distracting. A spy, and an assassin doubly so, can be afford a handful of mistakes to be improvised.

But a spymaster is a different story all together. It would be hypocritical to be like my former superiors. Though I would find the comfort to be just that, but in time: boring. As such, I prefer a more hands-on approach. Especially with the… well, dysfunctional would be something of an understatement

But psychotic would be an extreme I would not tolerate in my operatives. A good spy, and assassin, requires a balance of both subtlety, and explosive reaction. This balance is not something that can be achieved by the operative in the field alone, though perhaps I am an exception to that rule by extreme circumstances. Rather, it takes a certain… motherly touch. A soothing, commanding voice in their ear.

" _Raven, I have target in sight."_

My eyes opened and I adjusted to CamFeed #1. The image was fuzzy and a little warped. Then again, TeleComm reception signals are never particularly high on Intel's to-do list. But, it would do for the moment at hand: tying up loose ends.

" _Acknowledged, Widow. Terminate him."_

Through the Cam, I watched as Widow began her descent from the rooftops, slipping from the shadows to the street. I kept a very watchful eye on her readings, and my hand never strayed too far from the inserted killswitch. Widow had a habit of getting a little too invested in her operations. She wasn't a bombastic lunatic like Firefly, or a cold perfectionist like my daughter, Athena. Rather, she would consistently make things rather personal.

A downside of recruiting from one so traumatized as a child, but as long as she knows her place she'll do her job. If not, then a few hundred volts and a paralyzing agent running through her blood stream ought to sort her out. I smiled. After all, mother knows best. Suddenly, her suit telemetry sparked with sudden energy and her Cam came became awashed with a blue hue.

She'd exited her cloak. I growled in her ear:

" _What do you think you're doing, Widow?"_

Her Bajan accent came over the line, snippy and petulant:

" _This man is a coward. A rata. Where I come from, we would cut out his tongue. I want him to see me as I kill him."_

" _And need I remind you that is a Black Operation, Widow? Meaning you cannot be seen."_

" _I won't be, Raven."_

" _Put your cloak back on, Widow."_

I didn't need to spell out what would come next if she didn't. She sighed, and static came on the line; her suits function returning to normal.

" _Good. Now, finish the job."_

From her Cam, I could see Lenny Canalla handcuffed to the lightpost. I knew partnering up with the Van Graff's was going to be risky… a necessary risk. But I never considered how emotionally invested and perpetually sloppy Gloria Van Graff would be. Eliminating Pacer's elaborate scheming circle should have been a simple enough task. Should.

Granted, she isn't entirely to blame for tonight's misfortunes. No, I lay part of that on Cassandra's shoulders. I warned her that leaving Mr. Maddox and his merry-band would present an unpredictable element to our operations. At best, she should have at least taken the Brotherhood Scribe hostage. Regardless of her own plans for dealing with House, it would have allowed us a means to keep them out of our affairs.

Alas, the life of a spy is universal. I admit, Cassandra isn't nearly as foolish or egotistical as Richardson's Department of Intelligence, but she makes the mistake of assuming I don't know what I'm talking about. A shame really, eliminating or apprehending Mr. Maddox and his people would clear up so many potential issues and now would be the perfect opportunity to do exactly that. Regardless, Mr. Canalla's death should ensure that the operational side of this intricate plan continue unhindered. A few moments later, and Widow was in the prime position.

Now, eliminating Mr. Canalla is not as simple as putting a subsonic round through his head. There must be implications on **whom** his killer was. After all, deniability is key to any operations survival. And utilizing the N-99 10mm with a specifically aged ammunition should be enough for **any** autopsy to conclude **who** dispatched Mr. Canalla.

" _Target eliminated."_

" _Good. Resume overwatch pattern. Shadow your targets, but do not engage. Acknowledge, Widow."_

A long pause. Are we getting rebellious, Widow? All I have to do is press this button. Aw, a sigh. Not today, then.

" _Acknowledged, Raven. Resuming overwatch."_

" _Good girl."_

In movements that would make old-world ballerina's blush, Widow was back on the rooftop. And no sooner than four… four?

" _Widow, assume close observation."_

" _Affirmative."_

Hmm… four indeed. My my, Gloria certainly had her way with you, didn't she? Smart of Mr. Maddox; no doubt he and that Ghoul Gunslinger have gone out to stop Pacer's men… but it'll be too late for them to avert what is inevitable. Ah, the Silver Hair sees it. Yes, go and ahead and trace the trajectory, find the bullet casing… and curse your world out.

Soon, there will be no witnesses to trace Pacer back to what has happened. No testimonies will prevent what will come. And who would believe the words of terrorists and cowards? Clearly, you haven't thought this through. I sighed wearily, taking a sip from the mug on my table.

This was the problem with brave men. Brave men are willing to act, but not think. Of course, such men are commendable in having the **will** to do what is needed at the moment at hand. But they lack the foresight to understand the gravity of their actions. They think in single moves, not in matches.

This, of course, was the downfall of the Enclave. Richardson had the will to do what needed to be done, but did not bother to understand the consequences of what would be done and plan accordingly. One could go into the philosophical applications of his untimely and ungracious defeat, but I have no time for such drudgery. Simply put, the man left too many loose ends, and it unraveled everything. This was why I was tempted beyond the conception of beli to eforder Widow to… acquire, the targets below.

But, I must remember that for as much power as I hold, there is always someone above me with more. And they do not take kindly to me ignoring their orders, or going over their heads.

" _Continue shadowing them, Widow."_

The warning at the end of my tone was unspoken, and entirely understood. Now, a far graver matter demands my attention. My eyes moved to CamFeed #2.

" _Status update, Firefly."_

" _Posse's movin' north, Rave,"_ the Texan man replied almost manically, _"got the perfect drop on 'em. Only need give ol' Fly the word, an' I'll blow 'em to tinder."_

" _I am going to pretend I did not hear that, Firefly."_

" _You're no fun."_

" _No. I'm not."_

It might be questioned and considered insane why people like these are the ones I command. The answer is a matter of psychological dependence. A sane man does a job for three reasons: pay, pleasure, and patriotism. However, put them through enough challenges without reward and they will begin to question matters. An insane man, or at least one with some psychotropic tendencies will be held in check so long as a… motherly hand, is applied firmly around their cheek.

 _"Mother, may I?"_ I chuckled softly. Whereas Widow is motivated by family issues and a gross need for vengeance, Firefly can be defined by exactly two: adrenaline and pyrotechnics. Normally, I wouldn't have him assigned to such a delicate observation, but Athena is on another assignment. So, I make do.

 _"Closer proximity, Firefly. I need to see their faces."_

 _"Would you like to see the whites of them eyes, Rave?"_

 _"Would you like a cardiac arrest?"_

 _"As long as my sendoff is explosive,"_ he laughed in the mike. As I said, Firefly is the type of operative you drop in the middle of a fortress to layer with plastique, not shadow members of Mr. House's private army.

 _"Just get close enough for me to hear them sing… unless you don't think you can hack it?"_

 _"Oh, I getchya, boss-lady,"_ he laughed like a loon, _"I'll get_ _ **whisper**_ _close."_

 _"Just don't get caught. It would be a real shame if that were to happen."_

 _"Now don't ya go and get button happy there, Rave."_

 _"Don't give me reason to."_

 _"I getchya."_

House was a man with two-faces. He was a man with all the resources and all the power to present a great show of force. When the NCR arrived here ten years ago in the wake of Willow Creek and the massacre at , he was more than prepared. He had a deal prepared for the NCR. A very generous deal: he practically giftwrapped the Dam and present it to us on a silver platter.

But I know the truth, or at least the most obvious one. The Legion had just routed the only force in the East strong enough to hold them back, and one that gave both the Brotherhood and the Enclave pause. Refugees were pouring in as a result. The Brotherhood had just taken over Helios One. And the Legion of course were quickly making their biddy-body way to the Colorado.

And here comes the ever-so hungry Republic, desperate for riches. It was like giving a dog a steak and telling it _kill_. And so, we did. We've done his work for him for a decade. And we've kept him in business just as long.

But he and I both know that is an arrangement that cannot be afforded to last, something needs to give, of course. Which brings us to the curious development for the past month. A series of operatives venturing out from Vegas, performing missions. I've kept my eye on them, watched them work. But the goals are always… strange.

Truth be told, the only one that has made the most remote amount of sense has been this very one. But I greatly suspect this has little of House's **actual** impute. The assault on the Lion's Den was nothing short of last minute and luck. And considering how slowly this team is moving compared to the last few I've recorded, they must have wounded. I wonder whoever is holding their leash is going to take this.

Either way, Cassandra is correct in her assessment. House is interested in the affairs Mr. Maddox. And he has gone to great lengths to ensure that he arrives here to Vegas. I suppose considering the man's extensive background, especially with the Legion, it would make sense to recruit him. I would certainly do it, though his previous organization's fevered anti-establishment and independence streak would make that difficult.

After all, it was difficult to integrate their survivors into our own military. Not a matter of structure, you understand. Simply put, when you've been your own boss, and the sole lawmen of your respective charge for over two hundred years, and the mere mention of your name strikes both respect and intimidation in everyone who hears it… well, you might have issues taking orders from us. This was why I rejected the proposal to recruit a few. I have no place for higher morals, or ideologies here. Only those who take orders… even with a little encouragement.

Firefly turned the corner and there they were. I frowned. Their backs were turned.

" _Get closer, Firefly. I need to see their faces."_

" _Easier to see when in pieces, Rave. I'll leave the heads intact, y'see?"_

I smiled at his pitiful attempts. He could be such a Tasmanian Devil. But he was nothing more than a dog whining for attention.

" _I think you know my answer. Get ahead of them."_

" _Yes, mom."_

His Cam turned to the wall, and he began to ascend it. Our technicians over at Navarro had created a sort of adhesive that we have applied to the suction palms of our stealth suits. The hydraulic harness takes care of the rest. I remember one of the technicians explained he got the idea from some… comic book. But I do not mind, or judge him for such childish things.

I learned long ago that science fiction is only fiction until it isn't. Now he was on the roof, and in a moment later he landed in a puddle. Energy readings suddenly spiked as the monitors crackled.

" _Careful,"_ I warned.

" _Worry your head over nothin', Rave."_

" _We shall see."_

Now he was off at a run. It took months of physically training, and certain… modifications, to achieve, among other things, silent running. I believe that is where my operatives earned their nickname: Ghosts. Though, I have heard many **other** colorful names… at least, those alive to give them. I quickly checked CamFeed #1 again. They were halfway to the Followers.

Not quick enough for what was coming.

" _Got incomin'."_

My eyes darted back to Firefly's Cam… and I stopped cold in my tracks; standing up from my chair.

" _Jason?"_

I shook my head at what was I seeing. It… it couldn't be. He was dead. He'd been dead for several years now. He… then they got closer.

I shook my head. It wasn't him. He was too young. Far too young. But… he had his face.

" _Firefly, take snapshots of their faces. I want to run them through the database. And don't make any additional amendments to that request."_

" _Yes, ma'am,"_ he replied with a surprising submissiveness. In seconds, I had the images in hand. The photos were not perfect. The shaky reception left some undesirable resolutions in the ink. But that was something that could be handled by our technicians.

Though two of them, both female, might prove to be challenging considering their… disguises. That, however, was secondary. What was important was… I had to know. I had to be sure. But that… that could wait.

The taller, and possibly older of the two women suddenly removed a CommSet from her cloak. As she wrapped it around her head, the other one suddenly swatted her hand out in a panic.

 _"Miam, don't! Orders, remember? Radio silence!"_

I smiled. Panic always had an effect even on the most disciplined. Now, I had a name, and an accent to boot. That would certainly narrow things down.

" _We have no time for this, chica. We need to get him to emergency surgery now, before he loses more than just the arm."_

Ah, a Bajan accent. It felt like Christmas come early. I had a name, a possible age, and a place of origin.

" _Oh, Nagi Tanka,"_ the girl spoke Apache. Interesting.

" _Hang on, brat. Don't you dare die on me."_

The boy… he smiled. I couldn't make out what he was saying, except the words _dead pool._ The reaction on the Apache's face… Jason had that effect on me. Miam suddenly began speaking in her mike.

" _Want me to take a peak, Rave? Get a nice eavesdrop on what's being said?"_

I considered it for a moment. But I shook my head. We were already taking a risk following one of House's teams **this** closely. Breaking out the interception and encryption software would be like a flashlight in the dark. No need to shout our presence yet, though I am certain Firefly wouldn't mind in the slightest.

" _No. Keep visual contact only."_

" _Gotcha."_

Several seconds later, they took a turn and head towards a large processing facility. I knew what was coming. Even with Firefly's abilities as an operative, House wasn't stupid. He quickly lost visual with them barely thirty seconds in. Even infrared only went so far as the water on the ground.

" _Ah, flaming balls."_

" _Disengage, Firefly. Return back to base for assessment and checkup."_

" _Could leave a nice gift for 'em here. Got nice set of plasteque just waiting to be used."_

" _You can take your pyrotechnics to the range. Now, move."_

I then opened up a command control, and the encryption software quickly brought the newly constructed files from Firefly's suit telemetry.

" _Who are you?"_ I whispered to the boy's recording. He… I couldn't shake the feeling. He was so much like Jason. But the question was… well, was he mine? Or Alice's?

I had a feeling I would find that out soon enough.

* * *

 **Pacer**

* * *

It's okay to be scared. I learned that hard-life lesson long time ago. It's okay to be scared, 'cause otherwise you're dead. And those who say they ain't got the nerves in a time like this? Dumb, stupid, or they're just plain bluffers and liars.

So, I could excuse the coldness I was getting, and ain't from the breeziness in the air. Could feel it though. Down in the bone, in all of the boys lining up behind me. So thick I could taste it. Then I started hearin' the voice speaking all quiet in the gloom, deep down.

 _You can turn around. You can walk away. You still have time. You still have a choice._

The bag in my hand felt heavy. Made me want to drop it, eyeing the road like a mistress.

 _You don't have to do this. You don't have to._

Music. Cheering. Presley. Faint, but I could hear it on the wind. Heh, must be doin' his Mr. Gloom shake down and burnin'.

 _You can—_

No. Shut your mouth, whoever's down there, ya hear me? I gotta do this. I have to. These people—

 _These people are like you. Remember?_

No… they're not. We Freesiders, we Kings? Never once forced ourselves on the folk. Never pushed 'em outta homes. Golden rule everybody knew was to respect our space, respect our land.

These people? These low-down, stupid-as-hell people? Well, remind me of something Presley once spout about back we were young an' stupid. There are builders, and takers, y'see? Builders who build with their two hands till they bleed, and till they got 'em something to be proud.

Proud to say, _'I built this'._ But the takers? They ain't never known what it means. Cause all they know is how to take. Take from those who've built without once gettin' their grubby little hands in the mud an' shit and buildin' something.

And these Cali's? These whining, greedy little double-dealing snakes? Biggest takers of 'em all. I've seen it. I know what they did to Vault City, to Dayglow, to all of 'em. They take from folks who're better than 'em, built something better than 'em. And instead of takin' notes and learning something, they take.

Well, that ain't happening here. This is my home. And I'll die 'fore I'll give it to 'em. So I'll kill 'em first. I'll kill every last one of the blood-suckers 'fore they even make a move.

I will do what Presley won't. And I don't want him getting close to this. He's the hero the folks need. He's the Jesus to guide 'em outta the brush. Me?

I ain't ever gonna be that. Can't touch it, see? Never. But I can keep it that way. Keep Presley safe by doing what needs to be done… by being the badguy when they need it.

 _"Hey, Pace,"_ heard Charlie and pokin' my shoulder, _"you good?"_

 _"Yeah,"_ I nodded, _"yeah, I'm good."_

I gripped the bag tighter, an' we started walking. Boys had theirs slung over their shoulders; nice an' outta sight. Me? Had mine in the bag with a few other things we were gonna need. Plus, being in front, attention's gonna be on me.

Something I learned from Jeffie. Slight-of-hand, y'see? Keep their attention on one hand, do your business with the other. Turned the corner, and there it was: first checkpoint. Two soldier-boys sitting like bums behind their sandbags.

 _"Hey!"_ one of 'em called out, his rifle still down, _"What you guys doing out here?"_

I cleared my throat, an' got to speakin' that damn accent been practicing weeks for:

 _"Oh, y'know, patrolling. Makes you wish for a nuclear winter, am I right?"_

Laughing. Good. Gotta keep walking. Gotta get closer.

 _"Yeah, don't I know it."_

 _"Jeb, what the hell are you doing!?"_ other soldier-boy poppin' him in the arm, gotta get closer, _"You know the protocol."_

 _"Oh for fuck's sake, Bobby. They got uniforms. And we're far away from Forlorn Hope to worry about this shit. C'mon, give 'em a break."_

 _"Yeah? Well, I ain't never seen 'em before,"_ he then turned to me, _"where you guys come from?"_

 _"McCarran."_

 _"Yeah? Well, how come we haven't got a call from Hsu then?"_

Almost there…

 _"Well, we left early, and the man's pretty busy. Maybe check back with your superiors?"_

He saw us, and we saw him. I watched his hand. I watched his face.

 _"What's the password?"_

I didn't answer. He suddenly went for his weapon.

 _"Hey, asshole! What's the password!?"_

 _"Bobby, what are you—"_

'Bobby' went glowing like a star 'fore he crumbled like a fallen one.

 _"Bobby! Oh god—"_

And 'Jeb' went next.

 _"God's not gonna save you now,"_ I breathed. It… it was so damn quick. Wasn't like copper. Took it's time, could really feel it comin'. But this?

This felt so… quick. And looking at the piles there, where men used to be… didn't feel like killin' men. It… felt like takin' out the trash, ain't never seein' 'em again.

And it… I've never felt something so hot. Ten feet away and it felt hotter than a banquet fire. And the smell? I dunno, I just expected—

" _Pace."_

I nodded. Pulled out the gleamin' silver. Bag felt lighter, but knowing what's in it still got me chilled. I then signaled the boys; spreadin' out in a line. Uniforms got us in, gonna keep 'em confused for a bit. Just gotta get to the back where they keep the generators for this place. Another two hundred feet, past all the guards, an' we gotta—

 _"Hey, who are you—"_

 _PAFWOOSH!_

Another green goop on the ground. An' in another couple of seconds, more were joinin' 'em. Soldier-boys should've stayed home. Now we could see. The tent city; where all the scum an' parasites were sittin' in their squalor.

Well, we're gonna—

" _Hey."_

No, no, no! There was a little girl comin' at us. She… Christ, couldn't been more than six. Still had a little teddy in arms, an' wearin' rags that no kid should've been wearing. Fuckers couldn't take care of their kids? Why would you—

 _"Have you seen my mommy?"_

Looked at Charlie. I… she's just a kid. Couldn't. Not yet either way. If we did, gonna attract attention. Not yet.

 _"Sure, lil one,"_ I smiled and took her hand, _"I know where she is. Let's go find her."_

 _"Thanks, mister,"_ she smiled at me… so innocent. Too fucking innocent. Who the hell would bring a little itty-bitty to place like this? Raise her like this? Fuckin' squatters ain't gotta fucking clue.

These Cali's ain't realizing they got everything. They got it all, an' it ain't fuckin' enough.

 _"Hey, I've never seen you before,"_ she looked up at me with those big ol' blue eyes, so big could pluck 'em like a grape, _"how come I've never seen you before?"_

 _"Oh, I'm new,"_ I smiled back, _"all new, actually. Yeah, came to bring y'all some presents."_

 _"Oooh, really? Can I see? Can I see?"_

 _"Hush, lil one,"_ I put a finger to her lips, _"not so loud."_

 _"Sorry."_

Christ, now I'm feelin' all bad. Gettin' looks… no, gotta do this. Gotta get this done. Got plenty of kids like this one back in the street… I've gotta do this so they don't get to grow up like this. Like her… like me.

 _"Hey, you wanna play a game?"_

 _"Oooh, a game? What's sort of game?"_

 _"Oh, we'll play hide n' seek. You see that shack over there? One over there by the fences?"_

 _"Yeah, but mister… that's pretty far."_

 _"I know, but I'm terrible. Need a lot of time to hide, y'see? Now, when you get over there, I need you to count to thirty."_

 _"But I… I don't know how to count to thirty, mister."_

 _"That's okay. Can you count to ten?"_

 _"Um… yeah?"_

 _"Then count to ten three times, okay? Now, go on. When you find us, I'll have a nice present for you."_

She could barely hold it in. Had to nudge over to get her movin'. Trottin' and skipping over like a jack-rabbit, and disappearing around the corner.

 _"That was somethin', Pace."_

 _"Yeah, Charlie. I know."_

 _"You know what we're gonna have to do, right? What we might have to do?"_

I sighed.

 _"Let's get this over with."_

Signaled the boys to wait outside, started scattering 'bout. Should be nice and spread out when this place blows. Marched into the building. Wasn't much there, save a big whole warehouse full of soldier-boys. Mullin' about, movin' boxes around.

 _"Hey, what are you doing here?"_ One of 'em turned 'bout to ask me. I shrugged.

 _"Package from McCarran for the Major. A little lost, know where I can find her?"_

 _"Yeah, she's in the back. Take a left past the generator room, and keep going about fifty feet, then take another left, and you'll be there. Better make it quick though."_

 _"Gochya, thanks."_

Started movin'. Ain't got long 'fore they start askin' where those boys at the front went. Minute passed, and I was at the generator room. Heard it long 'fore I saw it. Quickly slipped inside.

 _"Hey, what are you—"_

 _PAFWOOSH!_

Time to get to work.

* * *

 **The King**

* * *

" _You ain't nothing but a hound dog! Scratchin' all the time!"_

As I did my flip-an'-whirl 'round to the tap of my shoes, whole crowd of hundreds started clappin' and tappin' and passin' 'round like one-mean-an'-green and costumed dancin' machine!

 _"You ain't nothin' but a hound doggy! Cryin' all the time!"_

I then smiled all proud an' wide an' a little wink in the eye as I leaned other and bellowed to the whole world:

 _"C'mon, folks! Sing it with me!"_

 _"You ain't caught no Mole Ratty, then you ain't no friend of mine!"_

And right in the front of the crowd was Jeffie's kiddies, all pumpkin an' deathclaw all surrounded by all manner of ghoolies and hobgoblins and all manner of heebie-jeebies all dancin' so cutely and proudly to the music! Golly, I'm getting goose bumps just lookin' at 'em! Ah, but you know what they say. Gotta conquer your fears!

 _"Hey, you kiddies! C'mon up and take a jiggle!"_

They needed no second word. They were up in a jiffy, dancin' to the tune as I tapped my feet, snapped my fingers, an' started singin' loud and long for the world to hear me tonight:

 _"Well, you said you were high class! Found out that was a lie!"_

 _"Lie!"_ the crowds shouted.

 _"Yeah, you said you were a high roller! Well, ain't nothin' but a liar!"_

 _"Liar!"_

 _"Well, you ain't killed Geckos, you ain't no friend of—"_

BOOM!

I hit the floor, an' the whole world went spinnin'. Screams erupting, and I felt the tremble. The shockwave. An' the fear I ain't felt since… since the night of the 15 tribes, when House 'evicted' them. And I felt afraid.

 _"Oh my god!"_ somebody shouted, pointin' upwards. And there… there I saw the maw of the Inferno. The roarin' flams, the glowing heat punchin' right through the night sky. Already I could smell the smoke, and feel the dread.

 _"Whoa, folks!"_ I turned about and gave 'em all the reassuring an' steady hands I could give, _"Now, don't panic. We don't know what's happened or what. Hell, could be some fool went little nutty with some fireworks. Now, keep calm, an' my boys are gonna escort you fine folks home. Just stay calm, an' you'll be home in no time!"_

As I was doin' this, the boys took the que and started shepherdin' 'em out. Jeffie came up by my side.

 _"Sir, that was on the Squatter's side of town."_

 _"I know, Jeffie."_

 _"And sir, we don't have the time to get all these people back to their homes. I mean, there's at least a hundred if not more people out there—"_

 _"I know, Jeffie,"_ I turned back to the risin' firestorm in the distance, feeling the weight droppin' into my stomach and draggin' my heart with it, _"have the boys get 'em back to the square and post triple security on the perimeter. I've got a very bad feeling 'bout this an' I don't wanna be caught with our pants down—"_

Then I saw it. The green flashes. Constant, never endin' flashes in the distances, peekin' over the buildings and horizon's like the Reaper's grim fingers.

 _"Fiends,"_ I breathed, _"but they ain't never done nothin' this bold before."_

I then turned back to Jeffie:

 _"Get all available folks to the south-west entrance. They might try somethin' there. And send a runner to Westside. Find out if they're under attack. If not, tell 'em to be on high alert, an' if they got reserves, send 'em our way. We might need 'em."_

 _"First, let's get you to safety first, sir,"_ he then grabbed me by the arm an' my black-coated detail swarmed 'round like flies on a Brahmin, _"Freeside needs you alive more than anything."_

 _"Get the message out, Jeffie. And tell the Followers to be expectin' company. They might have victims on the way."_

 _"But sir, the Fort is already past capacity, and… you_ _ **really**_ _want to be letting in Squatters on our side of town? Especially now?"_

 _"Better to open doors when crowds are in a panic, Jeffie. Now, where the hell is Pacer—"_

Something changed in him. Maybe was the grip tightening on my arm, or it feelin' cold and doozy, but Jeffie suddenly went morbid. I looked at him an' he was looking at the distance. Now I could hear an' see gun flashes there too, mixed in with the green. One right after the other, like fireworks. An' the fire and smoke was rising higher and higher.

 _"Jeffie, hey Jeffie!"_ I grabbed him by his shoulder as we kept walking, an' I regretted it. His face… his face was dark an' angry an' scared all at once.

 _"Sir… I don't think this was the Fiends. This is… far too deliberate."_

 _"Then who?"_

The look he gave told me that right off.

 _"No."_

 _"Sir, Pacer and 8 of our men have been gone for the entire day—"_

 _"No. No, you're wrong. Pacer wouldn't—"_

 _"Presley, that man has been wanting blood for years—"_

 _"Jeffery, Pacer isn't stupid. He knows what this will do—"_

 _"He doesn't care, Presley,"_ he snorted, his eyes full of wicked anger, _"he's never cared about the cause! He's never cared about Freeside! He's only ever followed us because of you!"_

 _"That's exactly why he wouldn't do this! I forbade him from it!"_

 _"And when has he ever—"_

 _"KING! PRESLEY KING!"_

The escort stopped and drew their subs on whoever was hollerin' our way. Then I saw who.

 _"Whoa, put 'em down boys. Beatrix, what the hell are you—"_

 _"Damnit, Presley!"_ she roared, takin' me by my coat and shaking me, _"For once, shut your piehole an' listen to what I gotta say! Lives depend on it."_

She spoke. She spoke an' I listened, and the whole world felt cold and mute. Couldn't hear anything. Nothin' but what she had to say and I… no. No, it… it can't be.

I couldn't move; I couldn't damn well think. Nothin' but… no, it can't be true. Pacer… what have you done? Do you realize what you've done!? You've **killed** us!

 _"Sir,"_ I heard Jeffie without hearin', felt without feelin'… I felt dead. I felt cold. How could I have let this happen? How could I have let him go so far? How have I been such a dang-god idiot!?

 _"Sir, we've got to get you to safety. Now! And we need to prepare for a siege. The NCR are not going to let this slide—"_

No.

 _"Presley, what are you—!?"_

No! I **can't** let this happen! I **won't** let this happen! I **will not** let all that I've build, all that these people have bleed and fought to keep fall apart… because of you. Pacer… you're my brother… but I won't let you drag us down with you.

So I ran. I ran and I ran. And I ran on despite the crowds, despite the fear, despite the brewing heat. I ran even with the tears running an' gushing from my eyes. I ran… because I had to save it all.

I drew the .44 AutoMag from its bulky holster, and I ran towards the fire.


	28. Chapter XXVII: Brother's Keeper

**Chapter XXVII:**

 **Brother's Keeper**

* * *

 **Veronica**

* * *

We turned the corner and I half-expecting having to put up a classic damsel-in-distress routine to get us in. Turns out… I kinda wish I could've. The gate was wide open and there was a flood of really panicking people being surrounded by an army of desperate looking white-coats and slick-haired leather jackets.

 _"Hang on, Boone,"_ I whispered into his ear, _"we're almost there. Hey!"_ I started shouting over the already screaming bloody murder crowd… funny, in hindsight I'm kind of glad Ramos gave us that screaming training: this is really coming in handy!

" _Hey! Hey! I need some help over here! Please, I need some help!"_ I started running towards some of the white-coats, pulling and tugging on them and generally trying to be enough of nuisance to get their attention. Well, I admit it backfired because some of the Kings got a gesture and they started pushing me into the crowd!

" _HEY! Get off me! Can't you see I've got a dying man over here! Please, somebody—"_

 _"I'll take him!"_ I turned around to see a… really handsome blonde with glasses come running through the maddening crowd forming around us in the last couple of minutes. He gestured to the men pushing me back into the line, and then took one of Boone's arms. He took off like that speedy Mexican mouse, and I kept perfect pace… this isn't the first time I've had to carry a Crit-Con.

 _"Alright, gimme the details."_

I considered my answer. I mean really considered it. You're thinking what's to think? Well, you forget that I'm Brotherhood right in the middle of Big Bear Country, and telling him that an NCR soldier, retired or not, was tortured right here in town? That'll bring a whole lot of trouble right down on my head, especially **when** , not if, Intel gets involved.

Oh and trust me, Intel can get **very** scary. I don't care about client confidentiality and all that jazz. When they want something, they're like a bull in a china shop. I just—

 _"Miss, we do not have time for this,"_ he suddenly cut off that trail of thought sharply, his eyes boring into me almost pleadingly, _"Gideon has already clued me in what's going on."_

 _"Wait, he has?"_

 _"I'll give you the details later. Right now, Boone's heartrate is low, which means he suffered some sort of cardiac attack, probably fairly recent. I need to know exactly from what."_

I've met many sawbones in my life, and I've kind of come to hate a few of them. But when I looked into his eyes… it was like looking at a man on fire. A look I saw in Mac when… when Helios happened. He was cutting through my bullshit at a glance, and I knew I needed to suck it up and stop being such a pussy. It wasn't my life that needed to be saved.

 _"He suffered a controlled electrocution. I can't tell you the voltage, but it was enough that it made him lose consciousness minutes after we started walking. I can't tell you what the duration was but I can guess it was over ten minutes with 1 to 2-minute intervals."_

 _"Where was the electrocution applied?"_

 _"To his chest."_

 _"Okay. Was his shirt on when he was electrocuted or did you put it on him?"_

 _"I put it on him. I didn't want to risk infection getting him over here."_

 _"Good, but we're going to need to move fast,"_ we then entered a small tent that… ugh, I haven't smelled something that bad since Harden tried cooking that Radscorp, _"get him on the table and keep a tab on his pulse. Keep me informed of his readings. Take a count of bpm's and watch his breathing. I assume you know how to do that."_

 _"This isn't my first time dealing with wounded,"_ I practically bit my lip right after I said that, but he had his back turned to me. Stupid. Stop worry about yourself and worry about the guy who got shocked while all that you got was… I shivered when I thought about **that**. When I… remembered **her** fingers… touching me. What scared me was that… that I almost liked it.

Focus, girl. Focus. I pressed my fingers to his neck and started feeling for a pulse.

 _"It's low, but steady."_

 _"Good,"_ I turned to find him gone in the back of the tent, _"open his mouth, and keep his spine straight. We need to ensure he has a good, uninterrupted breathing pattern. Keep checking his pulse, but also check his breathing."_

I did exactly that. Steady… but low.

 _"Don't die on me, Boone,"_ I whispered softly to him, _"please. You still haven't gotten me that dress yet."_

 _"Move."_

I turned to see him coming at me with a rolling tray full of stuff. Before I could do even that, he pushed me away and took hold of his mandible with a firm, practiced grip and dislodged it from the socket with a soft pop that was almost lost to the din filtering through the flaps of the tent. Boone looked absolutely slacked face.

 _"He won't suffocate this way, or choke on his tongue,"_ he explained quickly, already moving onto cutting up his shirt with a pair of scissors, revealing the two-disc size red sores on either side of his chest.

 _"Second and third-degree burns,"_ the sawbones commented unsurprised, _"alright, we need to clean his wounds and start getting fluids into him."_

 _"What about Stims?"_

 _"Later. We're short on the stuff, and our newest shipment hasn't arrived yet. So, we need to make do. First, we need to cover the basics. Here,"_ he then passed me a bottle of disinfectant, which I quickly rubbed my hands with. He then handed me a bowl of what smelled like saline and a towel. I didn't need instructions for this. I quickly set the bowl on a nearby table, and started slowly applying the salt water to the wounds. I took great care not to touch the unpopped blistered sections of his skin, and carefully cleaning the ones that were.

 _"I didn't catch your name,"_ I mused as briefly looked up to his side of the table, seeing him running an IV drip off his arm, _"can't exactly start calling you Doc now, can I?"_

 _"Most people do anyway,"_ he smirked as he worked on his side of Boone's chest, _"Arcade Gannon, conscripted researcher in protest. Yours?"_

 _"Veronica Santangelo, wandering techie down on my luck. Wait, you said researcher?"_ that immediately perked my interests; remembering why I was out here in the first place, _"Of what, exactly?"_

 _"Alternative medical techniques. Fascinating stuff, but later,"_ he then moved back to his tray, and removed a large roll of gauze and bandages, _"we need to dress his wound."_

I brought the bowl up and started drenching the gauze in the salt solution, applying them a strip at a time until we had most of them covered in double layered rows. When that was finished, Arcade removed some sort of adhesive… and it was beyond stinky. It was like… turpentine if deep fried in oil! Now, now, don't start giving Lorenzo any ideas. As I rolled out bandages, he glued them down until we had both areas covered up.

And at that, I wiped my brow. Sheesh, I think I might need a bucket. I'm practically raining!

 _"Well…"_ I exasperated with a weary smile, probably looking like that one grumpy looking cat, _"that was fun."_

 _"Fun?"_ he chuckled with a shake of the head like I was some kind of nincompoop, _"Lucky is more like it. I'll need to get him to Usanagi… just hope he won't need a fasciotomy."_

 _"A what?"_

 _"Well, if the electroshock caused an edema in his limbs, we may need to cut him up to relieve the pressure."_

 _"Cut him open!?"_ I blurted out, _"Are you kidding me!?"_

 _"Well, it's either that or he loses a limb,"_ he shrugged indifferently, _"chances are, well…"_ he shook his hand gingerly, _"but like I always say, it could be worse._ _ **A lot**_ _worse."_

 _"Yeah,"_ I sighed as I slumped wearily into the chair… I really like a deflated balloon, _"I mean, could this day get any worse!?"_

 _"Careful, never jinx yourself."_

 _"Oh, I'm already jinxed,"_ I smirked at him, _"bad luck keeps following me like… um, what's that little fella's name."_

 _"What?"_ he looked up at me curiously.

 _"Oh, you know, the little guy. The puppy who keeps following that Great Dane around."_

 _"Great… Dane?"_

 _"Yeah, the one who goes around solving mysteries."_

 _"Oh!"_ his eyes brightened with understanding, and a childish smile on his boyish looking lips… I do admit, he is kind of cute, _"Scooby!"_

 _"Yeah. Scooby! Bad luck follows me around like him."_

And he was back to smiling at me like nincompoop.

 _"I'm pretty sure you mean Scrappy."_

 _"Scrappy, Scooby, whatever!"_

 _"_ _ **No**_ _,"_ he shook his head wearily, _"not whatever. There is a_ _ **very**_ _big difference between those two characters. You're basically comparing a tomato to a potato."_

 _"Oh, don't tell me I hurt your feelings poking fun at that dumb show! I mean, bunch of kids go around stopping guys in monster costumes with grand money-making schemes!"_ I waved my hands all dramatically, _"You'd think one of these days they'd just team up and take 'em out! I mean, the cute one in the glasses and the sass is like the only smart one among them."_

 _"Well… you're not wrong. But—"_ his face suddenly grew grim.

 _"What?"_ I asked, my heart getting ready to leap right of my throat. He placed his ear right next to his mouth… then he plucked his fingers onto his wrist and neck. Oh no. OH NO!

 _"He's not breathing! He's going into cardiac arrest."_

No no no no! I immediately jumped in and started doing compressions.

 _One-one thousand. Two-one thousand. Three-one thousand._

 _Veronica, you idiot!_ my mind scolded me, _You dumb… stupid, just stupid… Here you are, arguing some dumb cartoon, and now Boone's dying! Yeah, good going, smartypants. Real great. First you got Christine killed, now him. Really great, you goofy moron!_

 _One-one thousand. Two-one thousand. Three-one thousand._

Something made me look up.

 _"Psycho!? What are you doing with that!?"_

 _"It's adrenaline based,"_ he removed the cap and gave it a flick, _"inject it into his bloodstream and—"_

 _"But stuff could kill him!"_

 _"He's already dead. Move."_

He then brushed past me and inserted the drug into his IV stream.

 _One-one thousand. Two-one thousand. Three-one thousand._

" _C'mon, Boone,"_ I breathed pleadingly though my clenched teeth, _"don't die on me! C'mon! Come on!"_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I felt a rush within me. A running frenzy, like a caged animal trying to burst out of my chest. And it only grew more and more frantic the closer I got. The more and more the emerald flashes echoed into the stormy night. The smoke trailing higher and higher like the heavens were about to cry.

I was completely unaware of everything around me, save for what was ahead. The screaming crowds just one very big blur getting pushed aside. I was conscious of moving, but I couldn't feel it. All I knew was that I was moving. Then I crashed into someone… a little girl clutching her teddy bear so tightly in her arm the head looked like it was going to pop off.

She was crying, and screaming. Her body was covered in a deep gray, like soot. Her tears searing long running rivers through the thick grim. Her eyes a constant panic as she looked up at me with haunting, black sorrows that shook me to my soul. Her mouth was moving a million a second but the screams, like one long crescendo, just blocked that out and carried out in a single blurring cacophony.

Then a woman plucked her from the ground, running like hell with everybody else… and I was alone. I looked around for Raul… but he was nowhere in sight. It was then I realized it. I was truly alone. Then I felt, and saw further fire and I knew death was in the air, the jade silhouettes burning my shadow before my wake.

* * *

 **Pacer**

* * *

I know what I must be. What I need to do. And soon… it becomes easy. Like swattin' flies away. For I knew now… I was in Hell.

Fire an' smoke fillin' everything, dancing lights choking; figures black shadows in the haze. This heat prickling on my skin… even through my clothes, like some kinda scaredy cat. Just… hot. I heard some coughing on my left. I swung round, an' there they were.

I pulled the trigger, and the heat got hotter. The green bolts struck… and a bright piercin' light like a thousand bulbs all going off in a snap. They reached for the sky, and then came tumbling down. Lookin' at the glowin' pile of something I don't know, I didn't feel anything. Part of me wanted to… but I knew what needed doing.

I waved my arm, and the boys started movin' into the shantytown. Skirmish line, jagged. Just like we practiced. Provide cover for every other boy, and put out right 'mount of heat. And we started killing.

Easiest were the ones screaming. Beggin' for mama. Too dumb to notice us coming. Just blubberin' like a bum on the ground.

 _"Ya like the sight of yer own_ _ **blood!?"**_ one of the boys sneered loud an' long for the saps to hear it. Look it their eyes was all that dilly-dally one needed. They knew all that was gonna happen, an' that was enough. Put them out of their misery right quick. Some began living glowlights, reaching high from the pain bitin' 'em 'fore they fell into goo.

Some others, though… just got a hole through 'em. Don't know why, don't know enough to tell. Just did. And as they fell, one by one, part of me kept saying _Feel somethin', you black-hearted bastard._ But I didn't feel anything.

Another group, maybe ten, maybe less, came runnin' at us. Reachin' their hands out pleadin', thinking we were soldier boys. Uniforms did their trick, so I held my hand and stayed ours… until they got closer.

 _"Waste 'em!"_

Eight blobs stuck. Some lighting up, some falling. Dead all the same.

" _Fuckin' pussies!"_ in all that Fiend sounding. But that got me lookin'. The fire and smoke was getting higher, shanty's ablazin'. Everything just smelled like smoke and oil. But now it was startin' to get thick.

 _"Masks on!"_ and the boys just became faceless. I looked left, and there were more movers. I signaled, and two of the boys followed. Another groups was runnin'. Buncha hapless vagies looking like ragmen. They saw us, and I saw their eyes. They knew who we were and they started runnin' like a hound dog.

 _"Shoot!"_

Started gunning 'em down, left and right. Fallin' to goo or blobs. Now more of 'em were running to some cover: big shantybuild made of I don't know what.

 _"Betta hope we don't find you, ya fuckin' bleeders!"_

Felt a tug on my shoulder.

 _"What is it?"_

 _"My rifle… it ain't lightin' 'em up like yours. Just puttin' a big hole in 'em!"_

 _"Don't worry your head, Johnny. Still gettin' the job, ain't it? 'sides, couple other boys doing it. Probably just some science we don't know."_

I then patted his shoulder an' we kept on going. Pointed left and right, and boys went one or the other. Came up on the shantyhouse…

 _"Shittin' yer pants now!?"_ I hollered right like a drug-fuelin' maniac, _"Just like a little bitch!"_

And we ripped it apart. Kept shooting till the thing caved in and caught fire. Someone came runnin' out, screaming.

 _"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!"_

 _"Mama don't like tattletales!"_

Put one in 'em for good measure, and his skeleton lit up like pop-light for a long couple of seconds 'fore fallin' apart at his knees. That… that made me feel something. Cold. Then I heard more screamers aways. Grabbed the boys and we started moving that away.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

I smelled the place long before I saw it… and my nightmares just hours earlier came to life in front of me. There was fire everywhere, buildings, thick black smoke choking and clouding everything, fires reaching the heights of the sky, and people… oh God. I felt like I was back in Nipton, back in that place of the dead and dying. But in that place, there had been malevolent deliberance to it… but here? It was just senseless, chaotic violence tearing the world apart at the seams and leaving it to bleed in agony.

It was Dante's Inferno. I was in Hell. A Hell I hadn't been able to stop. Part of me wanted to be sick. To just bend over and puke again.

But I couldn't. I had a job to do. I knew what I had to do, what I **must** do. And I knew sitting here in terror of this burning inferno was not going to help. So, I started moving towards the smoke.

 _"HELP ME!"_

Out of a burning shack was a man on fire, screaming like I'd never heard before and waving in arms as the fire ate away at him. I spotted a tarp and I ran towards, tackling him and hitting him with the tarp.

 _"DON'T MOVE! DON'T MOVE!"_ I screamed as I started rolling him over and over again. But I knew it. Somehow, I knew. He was stiff, and I knew the truth. But I opened the tarp anyway, and his face… oh God.

I closed my eye in sorrow, and I started moving. Now I could hear them all. The screaming for help, for unsaid mercy… cut short in the silence. I tried to look for the green flashes again, but the smoke got so thick I had to run the other way. I was right back where I started. Then I heard it clear over everything else: automatic fire.

* * *

 **Pacer**

* * *

We'd just rounded the corner when all Hell came ungolly loose. Takin' fire all over. Could even see the damn shooters, just hearin' the noises coming right at us.

 _"Cover! Cover!"_

Green was gettin' shot out right back, but high-roller lucky if we hit any-damn-thing-or-thingie! Fuckin' ambush! I dove right for a couple cars, and started shootin' overhead. Gotta do something, right?

Bullets pinged off the cars like golden trinkets. Pinging everywhere, so many damn bullets! I dove in under the engine, an' started pourin' green fire on 'em back! Probably only ace-in-the-line was that the Cali's didn't really know what they were shooting! Well, neither did we.

 _"You fucking junkie freaks!"_

That made me smile.

 _"Time!"_ I shouted at one of the boys. Took out a watch and signed eight minutes. I nodded. Eight minutes 'fore we hit it, an' run right past the Calvary.

 _"We gotta get rid of these soldier boys,"_ Philly shouted at me, _"or we won't be able to get out here!"_

 _"Right!"_ I shouted back, gesturin' 'round to the boys ahead behinds the Convertibles, _"You boys stay here and keep 'em down! We'll come 'round and backhands these punks! Philly, Johnny, you with me!"_

 _"Bastards tear you apart 'fore you take sliddin' steps!"_

 _"Yeah,"_ wait a sec, _"cars at the end of the street! Think you light 'em up?"_

 _"Their engines are facin' our way! Gotcha!"_

So, cars got a nice-ol' redecorating in green 'fore they gotta be down skyward. When that, I took off running with 'em on my tail. Looped round on the building, an' there they were: five of 'em. Couple of 'em were bandaged up and burned, lookin' all shanty and down, but still fighting.

Won't do 'em much good now.

 _"On me,"_ I gestured through the stuff in the air, and we got closer, _"light 'em up!"_

One went up in a sweet Christmas, his rifle burning under his puddle with a loud hiss. The rest dove to cover and started shooting back. Boys were pumping fire into the mortar, burning black.

" _Kickass!"_

Johnny moved off right, tryin' to get the angle.

 _HISS!_

" _What the—?"_

I heard 'fore I saw it. Johnny's Plasma Rifle was… glowing!? Steam and heat was coming off it! It was turnin' orange!

 _"I—?"_

 _"Get rid of it!"_

Suddenly I was on the floor, my ears ringing. World was silent 'round, and when I saw where Johnny was… all that was… was smoke and a crater.

 _"Johnny… what—?"_

Then in the fog and haze. Then I saw more boys comin' my way. Charlie was swinging wild, goin' lone-wolf like he always does.

" _YEAH! I fuckin' love this shit! Gonna have you bastard for breakf—"_

 _HISS!_

" _Toss it!"_

He threw it high, but it weren't 'nough. It got couple feet an' there was another bright green explosion that sent tremors and like through the ground. Charlie was… gone.

 _"Gloria,"_ I gritted my teeth, _"you bitch!"_

Then there was more fire coming my way. More bastards moving… ah Christ-in-plaid, fuckers are comin' at us from back where we came, an' where we were goin'! Good thing though we had cover an' the dumbshits were movin' out in the open! Got runnin' 'fore we started shootin' and started puttin' 'em down. Then, the got the angle and started puttin' away from our left!

I dove and ducked, runnin'. Boys started scatterin', poppin' whatever dang-god patch o' rubble they could find! Then I spotted Philly, taking shots back.

 _"Watch your gun, Philly!"_

 _"Why!?"_

 _"Damn things are jinxed! They explode when they get hot!"_

I saw his head move like he was saying _motherfucker!_

 _"We got six minutes!"_ he called back, _"I'll keep 'em here! You go 'round and flank 'em!"_

Right now, buncha things were runnin' through. If she set us up… why? How? What she… should we run? No, we need to stick to the plan.

If we don't, we'll all die.

" _Right!"_

So, I started moving. Ran right through a broken and burnin' apartment and started coming up on the side field. There they were, more soldier boys running through cover, and my boys puttin' green over their heads. I started movin', getting ready to start puttin' holes in 'em… when I saw something on my left, out of the corner of my eye! I ducked to the ground as something was shot over my head and I went to the wall.

 _"You fucking bastard!"_

I knew that voice. I smirked. Always wanted some alone time with that ice queen Major... Liz Kiernan, was her name? Mebbe stuck up, but she's a looker. Knew Presley had a thing for her, met through Julie. Too bad now.

 _"You goddamn junkie bastards!"_

I started movin' an' I started runnin' like a good whole houndie, her bullets chasing me right into cover. I got to the ground, and chunks of the wall were hittin' my noggin. She just kept on shooting… till she wasn't. I got up an' started shooting. I could see what I was shooting at, the red and black and gray was so think in the air.

So I just kept shooting, and shooting. Then I waited. I couldn't see her. So, I got up and started lookin'.

 _"Come out come out, wherever you are!"_

 _"FUCK YOU!"_

I turned left, and she was all up in my business. A tangle of hair and wet and something. I got my rifle up, but then a boot came up and knocked it way. Then she knocked me back aways, I could see her getting' something out of her coat.

 _"Uh uh, doll!"_

Soon I got up her business. Got her good by the arm, had a vise on her soft neck, and I started forcin' her back a prayer. 'Course, I didn't see that fist, and I got to seeing white, and I was puking a bit in the mask. But I had her, and I couldn't let her get a breath!

She had a Browning on me. I went low and felt something… something up there on my scalp. Place was so loud couldn't hear the ringing. Didn't matter though, I was still kicking! I grabbed at the Browning, an' we started playing a tug o' war with her arms.

I got to lookin' in her face… and I was amazed at how she could still be doing like a damn frenzied Night Stalker! Her face was covered in blood, like she was somekinda red woman. Burns, cuts, scraps, and all manner of nasty covered her an' her clothes were cut and ripped, and a manner of exposing. The damn lady must've crawled out from under the rubble. Damn.

Her eyes glared at me all hateful, all desperate. No recognition though. Hmm… maybe I could— I hit the ground all a sudden, my knee feelin' like popping and me on my back. She was on me, getting up and tryin' get lead in my face. I grabbed out at the gun, and at her hair, and started rolling.

 _"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"_ she screamed

Damn lady fought like a damn Cazador! Biting, scratching, punching, kicking, trying to rip my mask off… every damn thing she did… ain't enough. She was on me, she had her hands on my throat…but I had her gun! I felt her nails dig in and I struck her over the head with a _thunk._

 _"Lights out,"_ I panted as I pushed her off of me, _"damn, you really made me work for it!"_

I rose to my feet, an' I saw Philly coming my way.

 _"Boss, y'kay?"_

 _"Not really. What's going down?"_

 _"The boy's got the Cali's pinned. B-but Jackie's gun exploded!"_

 _"I know! So did Johnny's!"_

 _"What's it mean?"_

 _"Dunno. We got a job to do. Where are the soldier-boys?"_

 _"Up ahead. Still puttin' up one hellova tussle!"_

 _"Well, we got leverage!"_

 _"Help me get her up!"_

Quickly, got her by the arms and had her over yonder. The soldier-boys had hunkered down behind the remains of the ol' car lot building. Here, coulda used grenades, thought got something better!

 _"Heya fuckers! We got your Major here!"_ I shouted at 'em, digging her nine right into her noggin, _"throw out your guns, an' come nice and quiet, or we'll be seeing the inside of her head! Ya got five seconds!"_

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

Noise is deceptive. The gunfire and explosions only gave me a general direction to go off of, and the thickening smoke was making the rest of the trek difficult. I had to back track through several ruined apartment buildings, the haze and fire making me half blind. Then I heard someone moving ahead of me. I could hear the footfalls of heavy boots and the crunching of tiles.

I crept behind the corner. Through the smoke I could see the uniform of an NCR soldier, but… he was carrying a plasma rifle, **and** he had a gasmask on. I quickly ducked back behind the corner. The gunfire had stopped, but I didn't know what that meant. If Pacer and his goons were still alive and armed, then shooting him would only obliviate my one advantage.

I needed that gasmask. Alright, I'll do this quietly—Raul!?

 _Shhh,_ he signed as he strolled right past me, smirking. I turned around to see him strolling at the King with his arms spread wide, something hanging from his back:

 _"Hola, amigo! What's cooking, eh?"_

 _"What the—!?"_

He raised his plasma rifle on him, but in a reaction time that should not have been possible he just hit the wall with a _crash!_ When I came around, he was the floor. The wall was splattered with his blood… and he was missing a head. It was then I noticed the Pulaski Axe in his hands; black matte shaft and the steel head with a wicked fluke rinsed in shining crimson.

 _"Hey, jefe,"_ he smirked at me, _"running ahead like that will get into lugares muy malo very quickly. Good thing your Tío Raul was here! This man could've hurt you!"_

 _"I had him,"_ I replied deadpanned. He smirked and shrugged.

 _"You make things far too complicated, boss. Now, I suppose you'd like his mask?"_

 _"What about you?"_

He held up one of his own, and smiled when he saw my look:

 _"Stopped by this rundown Fire Station on the way here!"_

 _"How come I didn't notice it?"_

 _"It was tucked away! I knew where to look. Figured it would be más útil considering this place looks una renovación barata del infierno!"_

* * *

 **Pacer**

* * *

I looked at them, grinnin' all looney and toons behind my mask. Had the time, was gonna fuckin' get me a show.

 _"Who the fuck are you!?"_ one of the Cali's snarled at me, _"You guy's ain't Fiends!"_

 _"Yeah,"_ I smirked as I knelt before him, _"well, y'see, we're something of a bit of Karma, y'know? Y'see, push and push, an' somewhere, someone gonna push back. We're pushing back."_

 _"What!?"_

I shot him in the face. Look on 'em all? Just fuckin' great! All these years of playin' Goodie Sammy an' let 'em push us round, an' kickin' us about? Fuckin' great to get it all off my chest.

What was it Julie called this good shit? Therapeutic.

 _"You fucker's shoulda stayed home in Cali,"_ I rose and looked at the five of them, with Five minutes to go.

 _"Kill 'em all."_

First one screamed and reached out as he was turned to jello, forming hold for a couple sec's 'fore he got a nice splatter, right down in the dirt. Second got up and tried to run at 'em. Got a hole through his chest.

 _"Check that blaster,"_ I warned, knowing the sign now. The third one cried and blubbered as another of the boy's muzzled his face. Lifted it up by the chin looking down at him as he wailed for his mama.

 _"P-please! I jj-just wanna go hh-home! Pp-please!"_

Fuckin' pathetic.

 _"Philly, gut this fuckin' yellow-belly!"_

Took out his silver, an' chuckled.

 _"C'mere little piggy!_

Suddenly something red and hot came outta nowhere! Philly… Philly was ashes! What the hell!?

 _ **"You have killed."**_

We all turned around. The voice… I've heard before! It… sounded raspy and angry-kinda crazy!

" _ **You have terrorized the fair citizen of this city."**_

We turned again, comin' down an alley! I… fuckin' know this voice! I'd heard it on the radio from some station comin' outta state1

" _ **You have eaten their wealth and corrupted their souls."**_

It was all around us!

" _ **And you will pay with your lives. For I know the evil that lies in your heart."**_

Sonova—

" _ **The Shroud knows!"**_

" _Where are you!?"_

" _ **Here."**_

Suddenly Clark was screamin', an' gettin' dragged off! We started shootin', lightin' up the alleyway! But we didn't hit nothin'… then we saw it in the fire. Something in the light, coming on him; tearin' him apart!

He screamed an' screamed as a… **monster** howled and gnarled. Until there was nothing.

" _What the fuck are you!?"_

Then there was this voice… this deep, oily, dready-dead, give you nightmares kinda voice out of the fiery gloom behind us as one the buildings burned:

 _ **"I am… vengeance. I am the night. I am—"**_

 _"Roff Roff!"_ a dog suddenly barked out. Wait… is that… Rex!? What… what the hell was he doing here!? Wait… Presley gave him to Cass. And… she an' that One-Eyed prick are… unless…

Then, the smoke cleared, and on the buildin' lookin' all down on us was… Rex. I knew those robotic legs anywhere! But why was he wearing a… Batman costume!?

 _ **"Well..."**_ another voice; strong, powerful, but… cheerful? Damn thing looked like a Disco-ball with arms perched on his… hips. Had a red cape flowing from the back with a big whole red S on his front, _**"this looks like a job for Super—"**_

 _"Roff Roff!"_

The Disco-ball turned, an' smacked Rex over the head!

 _"Yowl!"_

" _And there is a fresh one if you mouth off again!"_

" _Shoot 'em!"_

And so we did. But when the smoke cleared… they weren't there! I then whirled around— goddamnit! The Cali's bolted!

" _We gotta move!"_

Then there was another _crack,_ and red was flying at us! Damn bastard was flyin' at us, shootin' and playin' some kinda fuckin' fancy piano music that kept thundering! We ran into the building.

" _Keep runnin'! Keep—!"_

 _ **GROWL!**_

Rex was in the doorway, growlin' and gnarlin' with fuckin' fangs gleamin' in the fuckin' dark like some kinda monster!

" _Rr-rex!"_ I stammered, _"Ii-it's me!"_

He kept comin' at us, his mouth droolin' blood. Then we heard the robot comin' the other way!

" _ **Dead, or alive,"**_ the robot boomed out with this cheesy-robot soundin' voice, _**"you're coming with us!"**_

They kept advancin' and advancin'. Christ, why didn't I bring grenades—

" _Bobby,"_ I whispered, _"Gimme your gun."_

" _Why?"_

" _Just do it. When I start shootin', everybody go out the window,"_ now I hada put on a show, _"hey, hey, listen. There's been a big misunderstanding—"_

" _ **Drop your weapon, now!"**_ the bot got more robotic now, _**"You have 15 seconds to comply!"**_

 _"Whoa, whoa,"_ I held my hands, _"just wait a second!"_

 _ **"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six—!"**_

 _"Alright, alright! I'm putting it down!"_ just a little closer… just a little more, _"I'm putting it down nice an' slow—"_

Suddenly I turned the Plasma up an' popped one right in the bots face! It screamed and whirled back in fire and smoke! I then turned round an' everybody was out and Rex was coming right at me! I started shootin' and he nose-dived through another room. Then I felt it. It was gettin' hot.

 _"Hey, superhero! Save this!"_

I tossed the rifle right at 'em, an' went super out the window. Started rolling when the world went green an' the like, an' next thing I knew: buildin' collapsed!

 _"Sorry Rex,"_ I shook my head all-Cash-an'-blues, _"shouldn't 've gotten in my way, pooch."_

Got to my feet, an' started walkin' towards my boys.

 _"What the hell was—"_

 _"The Bitch set us up. She gave us guns rigged to blow."_

 _"But… why?"_

I shook my head all-hound-doggy:

 _"No loose ends. How much time we got?"_

 _"Three minutes."_

 _"And the plants?"_

 _"Laid, just like ya said."_

 _"Right. Well, we better get movin' and outta these clothes 'fore—"_

Suddenly, I had brains over my face!

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

" _YOU BASTARDS!"_

Raul had urged caution. Raul had said we need to take it nice and slow. Catch these guys by surprise. Well, **fuck caution!** These bastards blew up ED-E!

 _"Oh, por el amor de mierda, jefe, wait!"_

I didn't care. I didn't care anymore. I just wanted these bastard's dead. My .45's were out and I was unleashing both of them! I didn't care my rounds were missing… my knife would do the rest.

Then they turned around and started shooting at me. I could feel the green bolts singing my hair, my jacket. I kept running. I kept shooting, rounds going everywhere, started seeing red. Just need to get closer!

Bring your fucking faces to my knife, you motherfuckers! Come on—

 _"Idiota!"_

I suddenly felt hands on my jacket and I was sent flying through a wall of fire. I hit the ground through an open door, and I rolled with it. Got up and started running out the door—Raul!? The air was knocked out of me as he tackled me to floor, kicking the door shut! I tried to push him off of me, tried to deck him over the head, but I missed!

 _"Stay down,_ _maldito loco!"_

 _"Get the_ _ **fuck off of me**_ _, Raul!"_ I spat in his face, trying to push the Ghoul off of me, but he just kept holding me down, _"I'm gonna_ _ **kill**_ _ **these**_ _ **bastards**_ _, you hear me!? I'm gonna tear their_ _ **goddamn heads off**_ _! I'm gonna—!"_

 _SLAP!_

Suddenly my world went white and sparkles in the air as Raul hissed in my face, grabbing my hair and fixing me with eyes that would rend me to piece!

" _You… will do no such thing, you understand me, gringo!?"_ he growled, slapping me across the face again, _"You… stupid boy! You want to die, is that it!?"_ another slap, another wave of moths dancing around my head, _"You stupid,_ _ **stupid boy**_ _! You want_ _ **her**_ _to be alone, huh!? I'll_ _ **kill you**_ _myself before I let you do that, you stupid—"_

He raised his hand to slap me again, but I stopped him mid-stride:

" _I get the point. Now, get off me."_

" _OH, ONE-EYE!"_

I dived to the ground again as Plasma bolts started impacting the wall. I'm just glad it was made of concrete or otherwise we would be dead.

" _YOU THINK YOU CAN FUCK WITH ME, HUH!? YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST TAKE WHAT I HAVE AN' BUILT, AN' JUST ROLL ON OUT, HUH!?"_

I considered retorting, but Raul held a finger to his lips. He then pointed out the door and sighed crawling out. I nodded slowly, and we started moving as the King's kept hammering our position.

" _WELL, FUCK YOU, YA FUCKIN' CYCLOPS! YOU FUCKIN' RADROACH!"_

We got outside, and there was nobody waiting for us. I drew That-Gun from its holster and—

" _Boss,"_ Raul whispered as he pulled on my shoulder, _"don't be an idiot, recuerda?"_

" _Yeah,"_ I sighed wearily, _"I remember."_

" _Don't worry, boss,"_ he winked at me, _"I have a plan!"_

* * *

 **Pacer**

* * *

" _COME ON! SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT!"_

 _"HERE'S WHAT I GOT, PRETTY BOY!"_

Suddenly, we started taking fire again! From our left! Son of a bitch! Must've went out the back! Stupid!

Went low an' I saw where them 'heroes' were shootin' at! Dumbasses! Hidin' behind a car?

" _YOU THINK YOU CAN TAKE ME!?"_

We started shootin', and after a bit the car exploded!

" _Game over, one-eye!"_

We all got back on our feet and—oh, Christ! Billy's head blew apart!

" _GONNA HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN THAT, TACHONADO!"_

And they were shootin' from another car! We lit it up, and it exploded. Then Connor went down!

" _NOT EVEN CLOSE, YOU JELL-HAIRED PUNK!"_

" _You wanna play games!? Okay, I'll play with you!"_

I started shootin' rounds till it was gettin' nigh hot! I chucked the Plasma at him!

" _SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE—!"_

Explosion did all the talkin' I needed.

* * *

 **Gideon**

* * *

Ugh… oh God… my head. Tried to feel… can't even... can't feel. Ears ringing… can't… think straight. Why… why everything feels like… like… like water? Tried to open… open my eye… can't see.

 _"Well…over…ere! Wha…came…got…ey…by one!"_

What? What the… who's… who's coming? See something… see fire… see men… shadows… can't… hear properly… can't

 _"Wha…go…ca…huh!?"_

Figures… figures coming… can't… No!

 _"Huh!? Thought you could take me, huh!?"_

Gotta… gotta grab… gotta…

 _"Uh uh uh!"_

Kicked it away… no! Not like this! Not… not… not like…

 _"You fuckin' with me? You fuckin' pay the price! Starting with your friend!"_

 _"N-no! NO!"_

 _"Bye-bye, zombie!"_

* * *

 **Presley King**

* * *

The Automag barked; bucking in my hand like a Longhorn. And as he fell, they looked an' stared at me. And I looked at them. They were stock still frightened; eyes goin' wide without a prayer. Then the next man fell past my smoking barrel… and I was left with **him.**

I didn't see him there. I didn't see my brother there, in the fire an' brimstone an' bodycount. I saw the man who'd killed him. I saw the man I'd created an' drafted. I saw my monster.

 _"Presley!"_ he stammered as I moved on him, _"Wha—wait!"_

I struck him across the face with the Automag, grabbin' hold of him as he fell into the blood he spilled. I pulled him to my eyes, and I bared my teeth! I wanted him to see! See!

 _ **"NO MORE!"**_ I spat in face, my body shakin'… shaking with such **anger!**

 _ **"YOU HEAR ME!? NO MORE!"**_

I struck him again, an' he fell into the drainage ditch. He fell an' he fell, an' he kept falling till he was in the dirt! I went after him. I pulled him up… and I started **hitting him!**

 _"You…_ _ **stupid**_ _…_ _ **stupid**_ _…_ _ **fucking idiot!"**_

I kept punching… and punching… and punching… until my hands begged me to stop. Pacer… spat out blood, a tooth… and he just shook his head like it didn't… fucking **matter!**

 _"I… did… what you couldn't… what you_ _ **wouldn't**_ _!"_

I hit him again! I felt… I felt a fire within me. I felt like I was burning!

 _"You think I wanted_ _ **this!?"**_ I pulled him up, screamin' so much I was throwing spittle in his face, _"You_ _ **think**_ _I wanted_ _ **these**_ _people dead! You_ _ **think**_ _I wanted_ _ **that!?**_ _"_

 _"Oh for once, stop pretendin'_ _ **you didn't**_ _! Stop pretendin' that these_ _ **people**_ _wouldn't do the same to us!"_

 _"_ _ **That doesn't matter!**_ _We were supposed to be_ _ **better**_ _than_ _ **them!**_ _We were supposed to show 'em all_ _ **a better way!**_ _"_

 _"Oh fuck you, an' you fuckin'_ _ **dream**_ _! 'Cause that's_ _ **all**_ _it is! A dream! You think you playin'_ _ **Jesus**_ _was gonna get 'em to stop!? That you_ _ **playin'**_ _some dead_ _ **prettyboy**_ _with a heart of gold was gonna be enough to keep 'em from takin'_ _ **everything**_ _we_ _ **built**_ _from us!?"_

I struck him so hard his nose cracked as I screamed in his face:

 _"We survived_ _ **House!**_ _We survived_ _ **the Fiends**_ _! We survived_ _ **everything**_ _the world could throw at us without turnin' into_ _ **them!**_ _We stayed the_ _ **better men!**_ _"_

 _"We survived because_ _ **I**_ _had the_ _ **balls**_ _to do what needed to be_ _ **done!**_ _I did all the things to keep your hands from gettin'_ _ **dirty!**_ _This ain't no different! I went an' did what you_ _ **wouldn't!**_ _I did it to_ _ **save us!**_ _"_

 _"_ _ **Save us!?**_ _How!? By goin' and shakin' hands with those fuckin'_ _ **Cajuns!?**_ _By killin'_ _ **women**_ _and_ _ **children**_ _!? By betraying_ _ **me!?**_ _"_

 _"A means to an end, Presley. A means to an end."_

I shook my head. I couldn't… I couldn't. I rose to my feet, an' I could only… then I felt it: sudden coldness I ain't felt in… years. Thunder crackled long ways back, an' it started to rain. Heavy… heavy, and cold and fallin' and turning everything to mud; soakin' me to the bone.

And I as I looked up to the melancholy black sheets loomin' long and sad over… over what I've failed to do. I… I remembered what my Nana once said to me about this. That all the bad, and blood we spill… an' all the wicked evil things we do… are enough to make God cry. It hasn't rained like this. Not since **House** … not since **Hoover.**

And then… then I hear 'em. Don't have to turn around, I know they're there… but I have to. I have to see. And I do. I see the terrified, the broken, the downtrottened… I see the people I turned away, an' spat on. I see the hundred people, maybe more… just… staring.

Lookin' at me with those guilty eyes. Those pain filled eyes. Those… those accusin' eyes. And all I can do is… is hang my head, an' let my tears tell my failures. Where 'em plain on my sleeves.

Because Pacer didn't do this. I did. I killed all these people. I took their families from them. I let this happen.

I let this go too far… and I turned my best friend—my brother—into a monster. A monster of my makin'. And I have to make right with what I done.

 _"Look at 'em, Pace. Look at 'em. Do they seem like people who needed to die? Who deserved all_ _ **this?**_ _"_ I waved my hand to the fire… to the victims… to the sheer destruction of it all. And all Pacer could do was… look at me blankly.

 _"I did what I had to, Pres."_

I shook my head. I know… what I must do.

 _"Is_ _ **this**_ _what you wanted? Is this_ _ **what**_ _you were lookin' for? Was_ _ **everything**_ _you done… everything you_ _ **betrayed**_ _…_ _ **worth it?**_ _"_ I fell to my knees in front of him, my eyes lookin' to the ground… and the blood stainin' it, _"Was it? Because all you did… all you_ _ **done**_ _… is give_ _ **them**_ _an excuse to kill us."_

I shook my head slowly; lookin' up at my creation… and knowing what had to come next.

 _"You told me… that I didn't have the balls to_ _ **do**_ _what_ _ **needed**_ _to be done… and you were right. I didn't. I didn't accept my role in things… and what I have to do… but I do_ _ **now**_ _."_

His eyes widened, shaking his head softly as I took him and I hugged him close.

 _"Pres—"_

I pressed the barrel into his chest.

" _I know now. I know…_ _ **now.**_ _"_

I didn't hear it happen. Didn't hear any of it happen. All I knew was Pacer falling to the floor; the last expression on his face… and the blood on my hands when I looked upon them. The Automag fell from my hands… and I hung my head. Then I felt someone's shadow over me.

I looked up to the see the Major… Liz. She looked at me with something I didn't understand… lookin' at Pacer… and at my hands. She closed her eyes, and just shook her head. And all I could do was just nod. I rose to my feet; looking down at her bruised, broken face.

 _"Presley King,"_ she choked on her words a little, _"by the authority of the New California Republic Army, I have to place you under arrest."_

 _"And I surrender myself to your custody, Major Kiernan."_

I gave her my hands, and she placed irons on them.

 _"NO!"_

I turned about and there was Jeffie… and the rest of the boys with their guns raised on us.

 _"YOU ARE NOT TAKING HIM!"_ he shouted down at us. Jeffie… the man I should've listen to… the man I know is gonna set things right. I raised my cuffed hands and I just shook my head:

 _"Jeffie, put down your guns. There'll be no more killin' tonight!"_

 _"Pres… we can't let 'em take you! You didn't do this! This isn't right!"_

 _"No,"_ I shook my head softly, sadly, _"I did do this. I let this go too far. I didn't stop it when it needed to be… and somebodies gotta pay the price. Somebodies gotta make up what's been done. And I rather it be me, facin' justice."_

 _"Pres,"_ he was only a guitar string from breakin', a vocal from crying, _"but… you're the King."_

 _"Not anymore, Jeffie. Not anymore. I never was."_

I then nodded to the soldiers:

 _"Take me away. I will face your justice."_

* * *

 **Translations - Spanish**

* * *

Hola, amigo - Hello, my friend

lugares muy malo - Very bad places

Tio - Uncle

más útil - very useful

una renovación barata del infierno - Cheap renovation of Hell

por el amor de mierda - For fuck's sake

maldito loco - you fucking lunatic

recuerda - remember

TACHONADO - Studded-Cool (an insult from the fifties meant for people who stud their jackets to compensate for their lack of coolness)


	29. Update

Hiya folks. It has recently come to my attention that... well, not many folks are actually bilingual, and quite a few have struggled with my many Spanish sections, such as with Raul and his POV's.

To this end, I have two solutions I hope to implement soon. First, I will be rewriting existing sections to cut out a significant part of foreign languages to make them more accessible to my primary audience: English Speakers.

Second, I will be including a translation key at the end of every chapter with phrases and words listed with their English translations.

I hope this will make it more convenient for my readers, and in the words of my good friend Alexeij: "Less exclusive to people who don't read Spanish."


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